Briefing Paper

Reform or unravel? Prospects for Angola’s transition

Angola is facing an existential transition. A presidential succession is occurring ahead of the August
2017 elections amid a deep financial crisis, internal factionalism within the Popular Movement
for the Liberation of Angola and strong opposition demands. Reform is necessary to dismantle
the pillars of the current governing strategy that have become unstable and have weakened the
security apparatus, have politicized the economy and oil industry, have weakened the ruling party
and have increased the levels of repression. This report focuses on the emerging fault lines Angola
is facing as the Dos Santos era comes to an end.