THE U.N. AND INTERNAL CONFLICTS IN AFRICA A DOCUMENTARY SURVEY

Mpazi Sinjela*

ANGOLA

The elections monitored by the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM II), in September 1992 were rejected by UNITA as allegedly having been fraudulent. This plunged the country back into war. The United Nations decided to mediate the conflictl. It organized a series of meetings, first in Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire) and thereafter in Lusaka (Zambia). The outcome of these negotiations was the signing of the Lusaka Protocol on 20 November 19942. By this Protocol, both parties reaffirmed the validity of the 'Acordos de Paz para Angola'3 as the basis for peace. On 1 February 1995, the Secretary-General, in his report to the Security Council recommended the establishment of UNAVEM III to assist the parties in restoring peace and achieving national reconciliation in Angola on the basis of the "Acordos de Paz", the Lusaka Protocol and relevant Security Council resolutions.4 The cost of the expansion of the mission was estimated at $383,100,000 for the initial twelve month period commencing 9 February 1995.5 On 8 February 1995, the Security Council authorized the establishment of a peace-keeping operation, (UNAVEM III). Its maximum deployment was to be 7,000 military personnel, in addition to 350 military observers and 260 police observers, together with an appropriate number of international and locally recruited staff. The Security Council declared its

* LL.B; LLM, JSD (Yale), United Nations Office of Legal Affairs. The views expressed in this note are soley those of the author and do not reflect those of the U.N. 1 For the documents relating to the first phase of the U.N. involvement in the Angolan conflict, see this Yearbook, vol. 2, 1994, pp. 181-207. See also, M. Sinjela "United Natiuons Peace-Keeping Role: the Angolan Experience" Ibid, pp.47-70. 2 UN doc. S/1994/1441, 22 December 1994. 3 UN Doc, S/22609, annex 4 UN doc. S/1995/97, 1 February 1995. 5 UN doc. S/1995/97/Add 1, 1 February 1995. intention to conclude the mission once the objectives of the Lusaka Protocol had been achieved, which was estimated to be in February 1997.6 The Secretary-General, in conforming with the request of the Security Council, has submitted progress reports concerning the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol. The reports describe the political, military and the humanitarian situation in Angola and the efforts made to overcome the various difficulties involved with the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol. In his first report to the Security Council of 5 March 1995, the Secretary-General stated that despite some progress in carrying out various aspects of the Lusaka agreement, the situation continued to be tense in several parts of the country. He noted that in spite of these difficulties, deployment of UNAVEM III had however continued to expand in accordance with various Security Council resolutions.7 The Secretary-General informed the Security Council, in his second progress report dated 7 April 1995 that the implementation of the peace accord was at a slow pace and that there was continued violations of the cease-fire. In the light of the above, he had decided to dispatch his special adviser, Under-Secretary-General Ismat Kittani to Angola, to deliver a letters from him to President dos Santos and Mr. Savimbi and to discuss with them the measures they must urgently take to bring the military situation under control and ensure respect for the cease-fire. Mr. Kittani was also to assess whether the current situation in Angola permitted the deployment of UNAVEM III. He also had conveyed to the parties the Secretary-General's concerns at the delays in the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol and the need for the parties to cooperate fully with UNAVEM III.8 In his letter of 28 March 1995, addressed to the Security Council, the Secretary-General gave a detailed account of Mr. Kittani'ss visit. He also informed the Council that in spite of the above difficulties, he had decided to proceed with the preparations for the deployment of United Nations infantry units to Angola.9 In his third progress report to the Security Council of 3 May 1995, the Secretary-General reported that since his last report, the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol had entered a new phase. There had been a marked improvement in the overall political climate in the country and in the

6 Id., paragraph 10 of the resolution. 7 UN doc. S/1995/177, 5 March 1995. 8 UN doc. S/1995/274, 7 April 1995. 9 UN doc. S/1995/230, 28 March 1995.