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IFES - Angola

Angola

Angola has begun to rebuild since its 27-year civil war ended in 2002. The war, which pitted Jonas Savimbi’s UNITA party against the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by José Eduardo Dos Santos, largely ended with the death of Savimbi in 2002. President Dos Santos has pledged to hold general elections in 2006.

In April 2005, a new electoral law was passed establishing an electoral commission whose first task will be to oversee voter registration. Civil society organizations have begun to organize and participate in the political process, calling for transparency and participation in elections and governance.

Current Projects

Election Assistance

In early 2004, IFES conducted a mission to Angola to evaluate the technical needs of the country's electoral management authorities and to assess Angola's overall preparation for elections. The government had not yet set a date for elections and maintained that the draft constitution should first be adopted by Parliament. Since the constitutional commission had begun its deliberations on the draft constitution, IFES' technical team prepared an analysis of the provisions in the draft that pertain to elections. IFES has made its analysis available to members of the National Assembly Constitutional Commission. This mission was made possible by USAID.