Iprislusophone Countries Bulletin

SEPTEMBER 18 IPRIS Lusophone Countries Bulletin APRIL 2011 agreement, on March 21st 2011 Angola’s position in Guinea-Bissau is Angola and the Angolan Defense Minister Cândido more noticeable and influential than Pereira Van-Dúnem, together with ever. three Guineas: Bissau-Guinean President Malam Concerning Equatorial Guinea, Bacai Sanhá, officially launched the relations with Angola are developing the friendly MISSANG/GB, the Angolan military at a steady pace, albeit not as intensely mission in Guinea-Bissau, aimed as with Guinea-Bissau. On January at assisting and advising Bissau’s 20th 2011 President José Eduardo security provider military on its reform and unification. dos Santos received a message sent It is rare for any state to accept to host by President of Equatorial Guinea VASCO MARTINS a military apparatus on its territory Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Researcher, IPRIS – other than its own –, without where the latter made reference to concrete historical underpinnings. the need to reinforce the already If the first months of 2011 produced It is even rarer for this to be done excellent relationship and bilateral a slogan for Angolan foreign policy, bilaterally. Most states usually cooperation both countries enjoyed, it would certainly be “Angola: your agree on the military deployments while also calling for a permanent friendly security services provider”. and interventions of international consultation with regard to regional Four months after the beginning organizations – which represent and international issues. Following of the year, Angola has already not only accessible forums for Teodoro Obiang’s initiative, on April made important security deals with maintaining control but also erase 10th 2011 the first session of the many African countries. Continuing fears of invasion – rather than those established commission between to follow its notorious interest in of single states. The fact that Angola Angola and Equatorial Guinea took the broader Gulf of Guinea region, alone managed to step up and help place in Malabo. As co-President of Angola has had several meetings and Guinea-Bissau to reform none other the commission, Angolan Oil Minister signed important security deals with than its security sector with the Botelho Vasconcelos was present at a very specific group of countries: latter’s open consent, is a colossal the meeting, having revealed to the Guinea-Bissau, Guinea Conakry and political victory for Angola. Hardly media that both parties identified Equatorial Guinea. ever is a country able to bypass several projects needing evaluation, Having shown interest in the Guinea- international organizations – in this concerning the oil, education, Bissau security sector, and sometime case the Economic Community of commerce, geology and mines, after the Bissau-Guinean troubles West African States (ECOWAS), the agriculture, fisheries, transportation, turned noticeably violent, Angola European Union, the Community defense, security and public order signed on September 10th 2010 a of Portuguese-Speaking Countries sectors. Even though a proper Technical and Military Assistance (CPLP) and the United Nations – and response to Teodoro Obiang’s letter Protocol with Guinea-Bissau, aimed be allowed to unilaterally assume quickly materialized, the first session above all at restarting the Security large portions of the responsibility of the commission produced vague Sector Reform (SSR) programs in that of helping a friendly country in such results, with no concrete outcome. country. Following this conceptual fragile matters such as security. Now, Yet, to escape rhetoric and continue IPRIS Lusophone Countries Bulletin | 2 the work done so far, on the same Defense Minister Kabèlè Abdoul experience, which would explain its month Equatorial Guinean Minister Camara arrived in Luanda, to be part periodic reluctance to be active in the of Interior and National Security of the first session of the commission organizations it belongs to. Nicolas Obama Nchama made a between Angola and Guinea Conakry. All things considered, these episodes three-day visit to Luanda, where On March 18th 2011, both commissions are just examples of how Angola is he met his Angolan counterpart stated they had analyzed common climbing the regional power ladder. Sebastião Martins. This time results areas of interest, especially in the The only apparent reason why Angola were much more tangible, both security and defense sectors, having is not yet acknowledged by the countries having approved a program postponed the economic and financial world as a powerful and promising of technical assistance, training and consultations to a later date. regional power lies in some of its advisory to the security forces of Hence, three Guineas, two security domestic indicators and in the liberal Equatorial Guinea. The basic goal of deals and one ongoing negotiation. nature of the international system. this plan is to help Equatorial Guinea These three achievements reveal Nonetheless, the world should not make the necessary arrangements many features of Angola’s self- be surprised to see Angola on the to host the CAN – the African Cup of perception in Africa, as well as the frontline of African politics in the very Nations – in 2012, alongside Gabon. perception of others. Above all, they short term. Angola managed to negotiate security reveal the astonishing tale of a country arrangements with a country whose who became a reliable exporter of President had first sent a letter to security – a fragile segment in many better develop relations just four parts of Africa – only nine years after From BRIC to months before, which entails a high the end of its civil war. While still level of trust in Angola’s capacity rebuilding and recuperating from BRICS: after the to produce the results desired 27 years of civil war, Angola is also by Teodoro Obiang’s executive. exporting security to other countries, Essentially, this call for assistance a fact which proves that Angola’s dust settles means that the January 2010 FLEC image and reputation in Africa are assault on the Togolese football team growing stronger on a daily basis. PEDRO SEABRA bus in Cabinda during the CAN did not Today, many state leaders and Researcher, IPRIS stain or damage Angola’s reputation ministers visit Luanda to make deals. as a reliable security provider. On the If ten years ago both parts of the In all fairness, it is not hard to get contrary, it surprisingly increased the Angolan civil war where tireless in caught up in the intellectual imaginary country’s security exports. trying to find support abroad, today surrounding the BRICS countries – Finally, the last of Guineas – Conakry – the picture has changed dramatically. Brazil, Russia, India, China and from has also made specific arrangements It is noteworthy that President José now on South Africa. The present and with Angola, albeit still at a rather Eduardo dos Santos does not usually future impact of all these economies embryonic stage. On January 28th leave the country, and that most on global imbalances alone is more 2011, President Alpha Condé met agreements and meetings with the than enough to infuse newfound with President José Eduardo dos three Guineas took place in Luanda, dynamism in their respective Santos in Luanda. At the end of the a symbolical token of Angola’s leaderships. Moreover, when one adds meeting the latter stated that after centralism in African affairs. Indeed, their alleged potential to influence both countries achieved domestic today it is Angola who is setting the other developing countries while stability, they could start readjusting agenda. tipping the balance of post-World their objectives and bilateral Finally, it is also important to reflect War II international institutions, the cooperation programs in order to on the fast pace Angolan foreign effect that one particular acronym reinforce economic, social, cultural, policy has demonstrated in entering might have on current international institutional and security relations. talks, negotiating and celebrating policymaking and academic thinking is Again, security arrangements were agreements with the three Guineas. perfectly understandable. But without mentioned at a high level meeting, This astounding speed in moving dwelling on any overreaching analysis José Eduardo dos Santos having the agenda further proves a residual of its core assumptions, some care is gone as far as to say that the Angolan truth in international relations: the in order regarding some widely infused executive was ready to deepen the state is still at the center, thus a expectations for these countries and mentioned topics and to establish much more capable actor than any the pre-announced dawn of a new the necessary legal instruments to international organization. Perhaps world order, supposedly already in the materialize this cooperation on that Angolan diplomacy is aware of all the making. same day. Roughly three months complications and lack of productivity It is not as if Goldman Sachs’ later, on March 16th 2011, Conakry most international organizations predictions in 2003 that BRIC IPRIS Lusophone Countries Bulletin | 3 countries – at the time, South Africa comprises a handful of an agenda balance between the countries had not yet been dragged into the to be tackled in timely Summits, committed to the established status fold – would dominate the world’s such as those that started in 2009 quo – and therefore reluctant to either economy in the next decades are in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Moreover,

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