Concepts for Resolving the Issues Still Pending between the Government of the People's Republic of Angola and UNITA (Bicesse Accords)

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Country/entity: Angola
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Concepts for Resolving the Issues Still Pending between the Government of the People's Republic of Angola and UNITA (Bicesse Accords)
Date: 31 May 1993
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Angolan Civil War (1975 - 2002)
The conflict has involved political divisions, and agreements emanate from two dyads. Unita-dyad. Immediately following Angola’s independence in 1975, a civil war broke out between the two main armed independence movements, the (then government) Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). The UN-mediated Lusaka Protocol in November 1994 did not end fighting and another attempt in 1998 failed due to continuous ceasefire violations. After internal splits and the killing of their founder Jonas Savimbi, UNITA was defeated by MPLA forces in 2002.

Cabinda dyad. Additionally, in the Cabinda enclave, the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) fought a low intensity guerrilla warfare against the MPLA government since independence, but by the early 2000s, FLEC had lost significant operational power and in 2006 the group eventually declared a ceasefire.
Stage: Framework/substantive - partial
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Angola: UNITA process
Parties: -
Third parties: -
Description: This briefly summarises other parts of the Bicesse Accords, repeating the need for elections to be held following the ceasefire and for them to be overseen by international monitors.

Agreement document: AO_930531_Attachment III_Concepts_for_Resolving_the_Issues_Still_Pending_(Bicesse_Accords).pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: Page 1,
1. At the moment the cease-fire enters into force, UNITA will acquire the right to conduct and freely participate in political activities in accordance with the revised Constitution and the pertinent laws for the creation of a multi-party democracy. At the time of the signature of the cease fire, the parties will determine the period within which they must hold free and lair elections. The exact date of said elections will be established through consultation with all political forces in Angola.

Page 1, 2.
The Angolan Government will hold discussions with all political forces in order to survey their opinions concerning proposed changes in the Constitution. The Angolan Government will then work with all the parties to draft the laws that will regulate the electoral process.

Page 1, 5.
The process of creating the National Army will begin with the entry into force of the cease-fire and will be concluded on the date of the elections. The neutrality of the National Army in the electoral process will be guaranteed by the Angolan parties, acting within the framework of CCPM, with the support of the international monitoring group. The Angolan parties reserve for later negotiations the discussions on the foreign assistance that may be necessary in order to form the National Army.

Page 1, 6.
Free and fair elections for the new Government will take place under the supervision of international elections observers, who will remain in Angola until they certify that the elections were free and fair and that the results have been officially announced.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: Governance→Political parties reform→Rebels transitioning to political parties
Page 1,
1. At the moment the cease-fire enters into force, UNITA will acquire the right to conduct and freely participate in political activities in accordance with the revised Constitution and the pertinent laws for the creation of a multi-party democracy. At the time of the signature of the cease fire, the parties will determine the period within which they must hold free and lair elections. The exact date of said elections will be established through consultation with all political forces in Angola.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: Governance→Constitution→Constitutional reform/making
Page 1,
1. At the moment the cease-fire enters into force, UNITA will acquire the right to conduct and freely participate in political activities in accordance with the revised Constitution and the pertinent laws for the creation of a multi-party democracy. At the time of the signature of the cease fire, the parties will determine the period within which they must hold free and lair elections. The exact date of said elections will be established through consultation with all political forces in Angola.
2. The Angolan Government will hold discussions with all political forces in order to survey their opinions concerning proposed changes in the Constitution. The Angolan Government will then work with all the parties to draft the laws that will regulate the electoral process.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: Power sharing→Military power sharing→Merger of forces
Page 1, 5.
The process of creating the National Army will begin with the entry into force of the cease-fire and will be concluded on the date of the elections. The neutrality of the National Army in the electoral process will be guaranteed by the Angolan parties, acting within the framework of CCPM, with the support of the international monitoring group. The Angolan parties reserve for later negotiations the discussions on the foreign assistance that may be necessary in order to form the National Army.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: Page 1, 1.
At the moment the cease-tire enters into force, UNITA will acquire the right to conduct and freely participate in political activities in accordance with the revised Constitution and the pertinent laws for the creation of a multi-party democracy. At the time of the signature of the cease fire, the parties will determine the period within which they must hold free and fair elections. The exact date of said elections will be established through consultation with all political forces in Angola.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provision
Page 1,
1. At the moment the cease-tire enters into force, UNITA will acquire the right to conduct and freely participate in political activities in accordance with the revised Constitution and the pertinent laws for the creation of a multi-party democracy. At the time of the signature of the cease fire, the parties will determine the period within which they must hold free and fair elections. The exact date of said elections will be established through consultation with all political forces in Angola.
3. The cease-fire agreement will oblige the parties to cease receiving lethal material. The United States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and all other countries will support the implementation of the cease-fire and will refrain from furnishing lethal material to any of the Angolan parties.
4. Overall political supervision of the cease-fire process will be the responsibility of the Angolan parties, acting within the framework of CCPM. Verification of the cease-fire will be the responsibility of the international monitoring group. The United Nations will be invited to send monitors to support the Angolan parties, at the request of the Government of Angola. The Governments that are to send monitors will be chosen by the Angolan parties, acting within the framework of CCPM.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: Page 1,
5. The process of creating the National Army will begin with the entry into force of the cease-fire and will be concluded on the date of the elections. The neutrality of the National Army in the electoral process will be guaranteed by the Angolan parties, acting within the framework of CCPM, with the support of the international monitoring group. The Angolan parties reserve for later negotiations the discussions on the foreign assistance that may be necessary in order to form the National Army.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: Page 1, 1.
At the moment the cease-tire enters into force, UNITA will acquire the right to conduct and freely participate in political activities in accordance with the revised Constitution and the pertinent laws for the creation of a multi-party democracy. At the time of the signature of the cease fire, the parties will determine the period within which they must hold free and fair elections. The exact date of said elections will be established through consultation with all political forces in Angola.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: Page 1, 4.
Overall political supervision of the cease-fire process will be the responsibility of the Angolan parties, acting within the framework of CCPM. Verification of the cease fire will be the responsibility of the international monitoring group. The United Nations will be invited to send monitors to support the Angolan parties, at the request of the Government of Angola. The Governments that are to send monitors will be chosen by the Angolan parties, acting within the framework of CCPM.

Page 1, 5.
The process of creating the National Army will begin with the entry into force of the cease-fire and will be concluded on the date of the elections. The neutrality of the National Army in the electoral process will be guaranteed by the Angolan parties, acting within the framework of CCPM, with the support of the international monitoring group. The Angolan parties reserve for later negotiations the discussions on the foreign assistance that may be necessary in order to form the National Army.

Page 1, 6.
Free and fair elections for the new Government will take place under the supervision of international elections observers, who will remain in Angola until they certify that the elections were free and fair and that the results have been officially announced.
Enforcement mechanism: Page 1, 4.
Overall political supervision of the cease-fire process will be the responsibility of the Angolan parties, acting within the framework of CCPM. Verification of the cease fire will be the responsibility of the international monitoring group. The United Nations will be invited to send monitors to support the Angolan parties, at the request of the Government of Angola. The Governments that are to send monitors will be chosen by the Angolan parties, acting within the framework of CCPM.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: UN Peacemaker http://peacemaker.un.org/node/143

Attachment III

Concepts for resolving the issues still pending between the Government of the People’s Republic of Angola and UNITA

1. At the moment the cease-fire enters into force, UNITA will acquire the right to conduct and freely participate in political activities in accordance with the revised Constitution and the pertinent laws for the creation of a multi-party democracy.

At the time of the signature of the cease-fire, the parties will determine the period within which they must hold free and fair elections, The exact date of said elections will be established through consultation with all political forces in Angola.

l. The Angolan Government will hold discussions with all political forces in order to survey their opinions concerning proposed changes in the

Constitution.

The Angolan Government will then work with all the parties to draft the laws that will regulate the electoral process.

The cease-fire agreement will oblige the parties to cease receiving lethal material.

The United States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and all other countries will support the implementation of the cease-fire and will refrain from furnishing lethal material to any of the Angolan parties.

Overall political supervision of the cease-fire process will be the responsibility of the Angolan parties, acting within the framework of CCPM.

Verification of the cease-fire will be the responsibility of the international monitoring group.

The United Nations will be invited to send monitors to support the Angolan parties, at the request of the Government of Angola.

The Governments that are to send monitors will be chosen by the Angolan parties, acting within the framework of CCPM.

The process of creating the National Army will begin with the entry into force of the cease-fire and will be concluded on the date of the elections.

The neutrality of the National Army in the electoral process will be guaranteed by the Angolan parties, acting within the framework of CCPM, with the support of the international monitoring group.

The Angolan parties reserve for later negotiations the discussions on the foreign assistance that may be necessary i n order to form the National Army.

Free and fair elections for the new Government will take place under the supervision of international elections observers, who will remain in Angola until they certify that the elections were free and fair and that the results have been officially announced.