A resolution calling on the Government of Angola to hold free, fair, and peaceful elections on August 24, 2022, and for other purposes.

Bill: 117-sres-736
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2022-08-02
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2022-08-02
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text: CR S3866)

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-08-02
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution calls on the government of Angola to hold free, fair, and peaceful elections on August 24, 2022.</p> <p>The resolution urges the Angolan government to ensure the credibility of elections. </p> <p>The resolution urges all political parties in Angola to pledge that they will not use violence during or after the election, will respect the outcome of the vote, and will investigate any disputes peacefully, using legal mechanisms. </p> <p>The resolution also urges the people of Angola to exercise their right to vote on election day. </p> <p>Finally, the resolution calls on the U.S. government to hold Angolan officials accountable for any attempts to subvert the electoral process.</p>

tv_txt: III 117th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 736 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; 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 oil-based 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

That the Senate— (1) calls on the Government of Angola to hold free, fair, and peaceful elections on August 24, 2022; (2) urges the Government of Angola to ensure the credibility of elections by— (A) allowing for all parties and candidates to campaign without undue restriction, harassment, or intimidation; (B) publishing and freely disseminating electoral information, including voter rolls and election results; (C) permitting the unrestricted participation of independent election monitors, including by inviting the European Union to send an election observation mission, as the European Union has stated it is prepared to do; (D) ceasing the use of State resources and institutions to support or promote particular political parties or candidates; and (E) reversing the ban on opinion polling during elections; (3) urges all political parties in Angola to pledge that they will not use violence during or after the election, will respect the outcome of the vote, and will investigate any disputes peacefully, using legal mechanisms; (4) urges the people of Angola to exercise their right to vote on election day; (5) calls on all parties to work together, whatever the outcome of the election, to develop and implement a broad-based reform agenda, undertaken in collaboration with civil society, that will address the most urgent issues facing Angola, including by pursuing policies that— (A) reduce inequality and poverty including by increasing employment opportunities, especially for youth, women, and other marginalized groups; (B) diversify the economy, privatize State-owned enterprises in a fair and transparent manner, attract foreign investment, improve public financial management and oversight, and protect labor and property rights; (C) seek to eliminate public corruption at all levels, including by prosecuting corrupt actors without exception; and (D) enhance and improve civil liberties, human rights, and free expression for all Angolans; (6) calls on the United States Government to hold Angolan officials accountable for any attempts to subvert the electoral process; and (7) stands with the people of Angola and supports their aspirations for a free, democratic election.