Knowra Angolan Civil War Angolan Civil War A conflict in Angola from 1975 to 2002, fought chiefly between the ruling MPLA and UNITA and shaped by foreign intervention, Cold War rivalry, and control of resources.
MPLA : The Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, which governed Angola after independence and fought UNITA. Its government and armed forces formed one side of the conflict.
Portuguese Colonial War : The wars Portugal fought against independence movements in Angola, Guinea-Bissau, and Mozambique from 1961 to 1974. Its end opened the path to Angolan independence but left rival liberation movements competing for power.
Jonas Savimbi : The Angolan politician and guerrilla leader who founded UNITA and led it until his death in 2002. His refusal to accept the MPLA’s rule kept UNITA fighting through successive peace efforts.
Lusaka Protocol : A 1994 peace agreement between Angola’s government and UNITA intended to end the civil war. Its failure shows why the 2002 settlement proved more durable.
UNITA : The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola, an Angolan political and military movement led by Jonas Savimbi. It remained the MPLA government’s principal armed rival until its defeat in 2002.
Angolan War of Independence : The armed struggle against Portuguese rule in Angola, fought from 1961 until independence in 1975. Its liberation movements became the principal rivals in the post-independence civil war.
José Eduardo dos Santos : Angola’s president from 1979 to 2017 and a leading figure in the MPLA government during the civil war. He led the government through the war’s final decades and negotiated the 2002 settlement.
Bicesse Accords : The 1991 peace agreement that set out a ceasefire, demobilization, and multiparty elections in Angola. Disputed election results and renewed fighting overturned this earlier attempt to end the war.
Cuban intervention in Angola : Cuba’s military deployment in Angola, beginning in 1975, to support the MPLA government. Cuban troops helped the MPLA survive foreign-backed challenges, especially during the war’s early phase.
Alvor Agreement : A 1975 agreement establishing a transitional government and independence timetable for Angola, signed by Portugal, the MPLA, UNITA, and FNLA. Its transitional arrangements collapsed as the movements resumed fighting before independence.
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