III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 736 

Calling on the Government of Angola to hold free, fair, and peaceful elections 

on August 24, 2022, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 2, 2022 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. CARDIN, and Mr. VAN HOLLEN) submitted 

the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 

Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Calling on the Government of Angola to hold free, fair, 

and peaceful elections on August 24, 2022, and for other 

purposes. 

Whereas the Republic of Angola will hold a general election 

to elect its President and National Assembly on August 

24, 2022; 

Whereas this year’s election will be Angola’s fifth multiparty 

election since 1992; 

Whereas Angola’s 2 main political parties, the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola 

(UNITA), were the principal belligerents in the country’s 

26-year civil war; 


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•SRES 736 IS 

Whereas Angola experienced its first presidential electoral 

transition in 2017, when President Joao Lourenco of the 

MPLA succeeded Jose Eduardo dos Santos, also of the 

MPLA, who ruled Angola for 38 years; 

Whereas, despite holding regular elections and having active 

political opposition parties, Angola is classified as ‘‘Not 

Free’’ by Freedom House due to the ruling MPLA’s 

abuse of State institutions to control political processes 

and limit free expression; 

Whereas mass media in Angola is controlled or highly influenced by the State, independent journalists face harassment, opposition parties are subject to bureaucratic interference, and fewer than half of Angolans feel free to 

speak their mind, according to a 2019 poll by 

Afrobarometer; 

Whereas Angola is in a period of economic and social crisis, 

with widespread frustration over the poor state of the oilbased economy and persistently high rates of poverty, inequality, and public corruption; 

Whereas, since 2020, Angolans have expressed their dissatisfaction through frequent public protests, which have 

been met with arrests and police violence against protesters; and 

Whereas the failure to hold a credible election will dangerously exacerbate political tensions in Angola: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) calls on the Government of Angola to hold 

3 free, fair, and peaceful elections on August 24, 

4 2022; 


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•SRES 736 IS 

1 (2) urges the Government of Angola to ensure 

2 the credibility of elections by— 

3 (A) allowing for all parties and candidates 

4 to campaign without undue restriction, harass5 ment, or intimidation; 

6 (B) publishing and freely disseminating 

7 electoral information, including voter rolls and 

8 election results; 

9 (C) permitting the unrestricted participa10 tion of independent election monitors, including 

11 by inviting the European Union to send an elec12 tion observation mission, as the European 

13 Union has stated it is prepared to do; 

14 (D) ceasing the use of State resources and 

15 institutions to support or promote particular 

16 political parties or candidates; and 

17 (E) reversing the ban on opinion polling 

18 during elections; 

19 (3) urges all political parties in Angola to 

20 pledge that they will not use violence during or after 

21 the election, will respect the outcome of the vote, 

22 and will investigate any disputes peacefully, using 

23 legal mechanisms; 

24 (4) urges the people of Angola to exercise their 

25 right to vote on election day; 


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•SRES 736 IS 

1 (5) calls on all parties to work together, what2 ever the outcome of the election, to develop and im3 plement a broad-based reform agenda, undertaken in 

4 collaboration with civil society, that will address the 

5 most urgent issues facing Angola, including by pur6 suing policies that— 

7 (A) reduce inequality and poverty including 

8 by increasing employment opportunities, espe9 cially for youth, women, and other marginalized 

10 groups; 

11 (B) diversify the economy, privatize State12 owned enterprises in a fair and transparent 

13 manner, attract foreign investment, improve 

14 public financial management and oversight, and 

15 protect labor and property rights; 

16 (C) seek to eliminate public corruption at 

17 all levels, including by prosecuting corrupt ac18 tors without exception; and 

19 (D) enhance and improve civil liberties, 

20 human rights, and free expression for all Ango21 lans; 

22 (6) calls on the United States Government to 

23 hold Angolan officials accountable for any attempts 

24 to subvert the electoral process; and 


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•SRES 736 IS 

1 (7) stands with the people of Angola and sup2 ports their aspirations for a free, democratic elec3 tion. 

Æ 


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