Peace has become a reality in Angola since the end of its bloody, twenty-seven-year civil war in 2002. However, much work remains to be done if Angola is to become a democratic state with an inclusive and prosperous society. It is in the interest of the United States to help develop a sustainable and lasting peace in Angola—not only for the security ofU.S. energy supplies, but also to promote stability in southern Africa. In so doing, the United States must tread carefully, because while Angola’s leaders respect and, at heart, want a strong relationship with the United States, there...
The national challenges Angola faces are significant. Although Angola achieved independence in 1975, in a way it is only five years old, becoming whole only when its bloody civil war ended in 2002. Since then, the nation has embarked on a long, tough journey to become a more stable country, one that offers a ‘‘pole of stability’’ in Africa. To complete this transition successfully, Angola must rebuild its physical infrastructure, create democratic government institutions capable of providing public services, address the issues of transparency that have plagued its governance, reduce poverty and unemployment, develop its human capacity through education and...
With roughly thirteen million people in a territory nearly twice the size of Texas, Angola is blessed with a bounty of natural resources: offshore oil, coastal fisheries, mineral deposits, and fertile farmland. But Angola has a tragic past—a harrowing colonial heritage and an even more traumatic decolonization experience. Nearly five centuries of colonial rule, two decades of struggle for independence, and three decades of civil war took a toll on Angola, scarring the nation with massive loss of life and physical destruction. Angola today is a product of this cruel history. The wars’ devastation provides an important, but incomplete,...
The widespread destruction of Angolan territory during nearly three decades of civil war largely ruined Angola’s economy, with one significant exception.Becausemuch ofAngola’s oil is offshore, the oil industry was relatively undamaged during the war. With record-high international oil prices, the Angolan government’s revenues skyrocketed. But without an experienced civil service translating that wealth into state services and jobs, national reconstruction has been astoundingly difficult.
At the macroeconomic level, Angola is booming. Angola’s grossdomestic product (GDP) was $17.3 billion in 2004 and an estimated $24.3 billion in 2005. The IMF predicts real GDP growth of 14.3 percent for 2006 and 31.4...
It is difficult for anyone,especially anoutsider, to becertain how Angola’s postconflict transition will progress, but this commission believes that something significant is occurring in Angola.The country is changing— rebuilding its territory, developing its economy, and pursuing pragmatic relationships abroad. It is time for the United States to reassess its relationship accordingly.
From 1975 to 1989, U.S.-Angola relations were defined by Cold War politics. When the Soviet-supported MPLA came to power and declared Angola independent in November 1975, the United States opposed Angolan membership to the United Nations, fighting it until December 1976. The United States generally supported the opponents of...
To help Angola and the United States meet their evolving needs, the commission recommends a combination of U.S. bilateral, multilateral, and private sector strategies. To be effective, the United States must be prepared to make a long-term commitment and structure its shortterm policies in a way that facilitates lasting change in Angola.
As made clear in this report, many elements of a sound U.S. policy toward Angola are already in place. The United States has a significant and talented diplomatic mission on the ground in Luanda, managing programs to help Angola address its most vital issues. But, as is the...
This report is being issued at a time when recent spikes in the price of oil and U.S. oil dependency have refocused America’s attention toward relationships with energy-producing states. With few exceptions, countries upon which the United States depends for its energy supplies are either in politically unstable regions of the world or rank poorly in terms of human development and governance. This poses significant strategic and political challenges for U.S. policymakers, given that the United States has a long history of promoting democratic governance and values, believing that democratic states make better long-term bilateral partners and contribute to international...
