UNITA

Not to be confused with UNITAS.
"Unita" redirects here. For the Italian newspaper, see L'Unità. For other uses, see Unita (disambiguation).

National Union for the Total Independence of Angola
União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola
LeaderAdalberto Costa Júnior
FounderJonas Savimbi
Founded13 March 1966
HeadquartersLuanda
Youth wingRevolutionary United Youth of Angola
Women's wingAngolan Women's League
Armed wingFALA (until 1993)
Ideology
Political position
National affiliationSupreme Council for the Liberation of Angola (1972–1975)[3]
United Patriotic Front
Regional affiliationDemocrat Union of Africa
International affiliationCentrist Democrat International
Seats in the National Assembly
90 / 220
Party flag
Website
www.unitaangola.org Edit this at Wikidata
Politics of Angola
Constitution
Executive
Legislature
Judiciary
Elections
Administrative divisions
Foreign relations
  • Ministry of External Relations
    Minister: Manuel Domingos Augusto

The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (Portuguese: União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola, abbr. UNITA) is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought alongside the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA) in the Angolan War for Independence (1961–1975) and then against the MPLA in the ensuing civil war (1975–2002). The war was one of the most prominent Cold War proxy wars, with UNITA receiving military aid initially from the People's Republic of China from 1966 until October 1975[4][5] and later from the United States[a] and apartheid South Africa while the MPLA received material and technical support from the Soviet Union and its allies, especially Cuba.[6][7]

Until 1996, UNITA was funded through Angolan diamond mines in both Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul along the Cuango River valley, especially the Catoca mine, which was Angola's only Kimberlite mine at that time.[8] Valdemar Chindondo served as chief of staff in the government of UNITA,[9] pro-Western rebels, during the Angolan Civil War (1975–2002). Jonas Savimbi, leader of UNITA, allegedly ordered Chindondo's assassination.[10]

Savimbi's successor as president of UNITA was Isaías Samakuva. Following Savimbi's death, UNITA abandoned armed struggle and participated in electoral politics. The party won 51 out of 220 seats in the 2017 parliamentary election. Samakuva resigned as party leader in November 2019, being replaced by Adalberto Costa Júnior.

  1. ^ a b JUSTINO, Jofre. A actual UNITA traiu o espírito de Muangai. Maputo, 2006
  2. ^ "Consulado Geral de Angola". Archived from the original on 3 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Angola".
  4. ^ Weigert, Stephen L. (25 October 2011). Angola: A Modern Military History, 1961–2002. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 33–34. ISBN 978-0230337831. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  5. ^ a b Hess, Morgan (2014). U.S.-Chinese Cooperation and Conflict in the Angolan Civil War (Thesis). City University of New York (CUNY) City College. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  6. ^ Hare, Paul (9 May 2007). "China in Angola: An Emerging Energy Partnership". Jamestown. Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 28 January 2020 – via China Brief Volume: 6 Issue: 22.
  7. ^ Simpson, Chris (25 February 2002). "Obituary: Jonas Savimbi, Unita's local boy". BBC. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  8. ^ Harden, Blaine (6 April 2000). "DIAMOND WARS: A special report.; Africa's Gems: Warfare's Best Friend". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  9. ^ Brittain, Victoria (1998). Death of Dignity: Angola's Civil War. London: Pluto Press. ISBN 978-0-7453-1247-7.
  10. ^ Kukkuk, Leon (2005). Letters to Gabriella. FLF Press. p. 102. ISBN 978-1891855672.


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