Unless military advances against Savimbi are matched by new internal openness, the prospects for engaging either the international community or Angolan civil society in necessary support for the next stage in peace-building will be very limited. This does not mean that the international community should accept at face value every charge against the government coming from these sources. But it is also true that there will be no climate for peace unless the government accepts that the demand for openness is justified and that the response called for is dialogue rather than well-worn rhetoric. The same applies to the issues raised by the new report by the British non-governmental organization Global Witness, which calls for transparency on the use of oil revenues by the Angolan government. It charges that revenues not only go disproportionately to fuel the war rather than to grossly neglected civilian needs, but also to bolster the life style of a highly privileged elite.
Transparency is an essential component of restoring public confidence and redirecting resources.
But if changes are required for the Angolan government to establish its credibility, the international community must also demonstrate in practice that such demands are not a pretext for weakening the pressure against Savimbi. Pursuing multiple tracks for peace will no doubt prove difficult. But, compared to the alternatives of cynical withdrawal or a repeat of the policy of wishful thinking which pervaded previous efforts, such a course stands a real chance of turning the tide towards peace in Angola. This would be a major contribution to expanding the zone of peace on the African continent.