Presented at the Fragile States and Groups Conference in Helsinki. This paper reviews recent evidence about what happened in Angola during the almost 30 years of conflict and the subsequent 5 years of peace. It critically examines some of the assumptions that are often made about the processes that occur during conflicts, and particularly questions the assumption often made in post- conflict situations that the end of conflict in itself is sufficient to lead to the rapid reversal of processes that occurred during conflict, and to rapid reintegration and normalisation.

Apresentado na Mesa Redonda sobre Doadores Internacionais e Sociedade Civil Implicações na Recuperação de Angola e nos Deslocados. Este documento analisa os desafios colocados pela reconstrução do pós-guerra como um processo de consolidação da paz. São levantadas questões sobre o regresso a uma “normalidade” pós-guerra e sobre a natureza dessa normalidade. O autor argumenta que se pode aprender muito com as tentativas de reconstrução e consolidação da paz que falharam, durante a década passada.

Qual é o significado de eleições em Angola? Parece claro que depois de quase trinta anos de guerra civil, a transição para a democracia constitui um enorme passo na reconstrução do país. O governo da República de Angola anunciou, repetidamente, a intenção de realizar eleições, em breve, mas não estabeleceu data. Ainda assim, e mesmo com os cidadãos já se registando como eleitores, predominam as incertezas sobre o pleito e o seu resultado.

The purpose of the present research was to make an assessment of the indirect and long-term peace relevant impacts of development and peacebuilding programs, and hopefully contribute with a framework for how such assessments can be made for other projects and areas. The paper does not include a thorough analysis of the present status quo in Angola. It is worth mentioning, however, that the research was conducted in a transition period from war to peace, in July 2002, three months after the signing of the peace accord that is meant to bring the country back to the failed Lusaka peace accord from 1994.

Published in the Review of African Political Economy (ROAPE), Number 90, Volume 28. The article argues that despite ample justification for donor fatigue, the international community has, in fact, stayed engaged in Angola during the last decade. Investment in humanitarian and development/rehabilitation programming can be understood as a donor strategy for influencing regional stability and building peace. The war raises risks for the major powers who have progressively increased their stake in the lucrative Angolan petroleum economy.