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Detailed Implementation Timeline: Luena Memorandum of Understanding

Implementations

Detailed Implementation Timeline – 2002

Most of the major developments in the timeline, such as amnesty, cease-fire, the creation of the Joint Military Commission, and demobilization, were completed on time. Reintegration began in 2003 and was largely concluded by the end of 2004.

On 30 March 2002, FAA leader G. S. Nunda and UNITA leader Kamorteiro signed a ceasefire agreement ending the civil war in the city of Luena, Angola.¹

The Joint Military Commission was established before the signing of the Luena Accord and began working on 4 April.²

The day before the signing of the Luena Accord, the Angolan parliament unanimously approved a general amnesty law for UNITA troops who turn themselves in within 45 days of the passage of the bill for “all crimes against the security of the Angolan state.”³

Within weeks of the Luena Agreement, some 25,000 UNITA troops had turned themselves in to the demobilization camps.⁴

“Angola Signs Ceasefire with UNITA Rebels,” Reuters News Agency, March 30, 2002.
“Angola: Joint Military Commission to Monitor Cease-Fire – Military Chief,” BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, April 3, 2002.
“Angola: Amnesty for Rebels,” The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec), April 3, 2002.
“Angola Says 25,000 UNITA Rebels Now in Demob Camps,” Agence France Presse, May 3, 2002.

Detailed Implementation Timeline – 2003

United Nations officials in Angola announced in January that the reintegration program for some 8,000 child soldiers into society had officially begun.⁵

The government reported that 35 UNITA confinement areas, holding 100,000 demobilized UNITA soldiers and their families, were scheduled to be shut down by the end of February. Under the timeline of the Luena Memorandum of Understanding, the confinement areas would close by the end of 2002.⁶

The Angolan Government reported that 5,007 UNITA troops had been drafted into the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) and National Police, completing the stipulations of the Luena Memorandum of Understanding and the Lusaka Protocol. According to the report, four generals, eight lieutenant-generals, 18 brigadiers, 40 colonels, 60 lieutenant-colonels, 100 majors, 150 captains, 200 lieutenants, 250 sub-lieutenants, 300 aspirants, 300 sergeants, and 3,577 simple soldiers were drafted into the national army. Another 40 generals were incorporated into the National Police: four of these were lieutenant-generals and 14 were brigadiers who were under the FAA General Staff.⁷

“Angola: Reintegration of Child Soldiers Underway,” Africa News, January 15, 2003.
“Angola: UNITA Confinement Areas to Close Down by End of February,” BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, February 5, 2003.
“Angola: 5,007 Ex-UNITA Soldiers Drafted Into National Army,” Africa News, June 19, 2003.

Detailed Implementation Timeline – 2004

Sean Bradley, the World Bank Coordinator for Reintegration, remarked in October that he was not dissatisfied with the amount of progress made thus far. According to Bradley, “Around 50,000 ex-combatants received basic seeds and tools to restart subsistence agriculture activities and about 4,700 were currently involved in economic reintegration activities.”⁸

“Angola: More Needs to be Done for Reintegration of Former Soldiers,” Africa News, October 29, 2004.