Angola Travel Security

Angola's civil war, which lasted nearly 30 years, finally ended with a cease-fire agreement signed in 2002, but travel within the country remains unsafe. The main hazards stem from banditry and insurgent attacks, undisciplined police and military personnel, a high concentration of land mines and unexploded ordnance, and a high rate of violent crime. Foreign nationals, especially independent entrepreneurs, are subject to arbitrary harassment, detention and/or deportation by immigration and police authorities. Such factors account for the country's risk rating of 9.

Maintain a high level of security awareness, register with your embassy upon arrival and inform the embassy of your destination if you plan to travel outside the capital, Luanda.

High-risk Areas

Movement outside the capital can be difficult and dangerous so travel with people or groups familiar with current local conditions

Avoid travel to the interior of Cabinda Province, where there have been reports of violent incidents against foreigners, and North and South Luanda Provinces where there has been police activity to expel illegal diamond miners and illegal immigrants and where you may be subject to movement restrictions or detention.

Angola is governed by President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, whose Peoples' Movement for the Liberation of Angola party controls 59% of the seats in the 220-seat National Assembly. The president appoints the prime minister and 29 cabinet ministers, as well as 18 provincial governors who administer the country.

In preparation for elections, a package of electoral laws was approved in April 2005. A new constitution, already six years under debate, has not yet been finalized, but a multiparty constitutional reform process is scheduled to resume following the next elections.

Following the passage of the new laws Angolans had anticipated that elections would follow no later than September 2006. However, voter registration only started in November 2006 and finished in September 2007. The government has since announced that legislative elections will take place 5-6 September 2008.

The presidential vote is scheduled to follow in 2009--a Supreme Court ruling in July 2005 paved the way for Dos Santos to stand again for president. Given the powers of incumbency and its political domination, observers expect the ruling MPLA to win the legislative poll and Dos Santos to win the presidential election.

Angola faces the daunting tasks of rebuilding its infrastructure, retrieving weapons from its heavily-armed civilian population and resettling tens of thousands of refugees who fled the fighting. There are several areas where populations of refugees on the move are concentrated. These areas are of particular concern and should be avoided unless you have a vital need to visit them. As desperately poor refugees have flooded into Luanda, where employment, food and decent housing are in short supply, the city's crime rate has ballooned into a critical issue.

Angola has a fast-growing economy, largely because of a major oil boom. Oil accounts for more than 51% of gross domestic product, 75% of government revenue and 90% of export value. Production remains largely offshore and has few linkages with other sectors of the economy.

Angola, which became a member of OPEC in 2007, is now, according to the International Energy Agency, Africa's largest exporter of oil, achieving this ranking because Nigeria's production has been badly affected by unrest. Angola's oil production is set to double in the next five years; there are also plans to develop extensive natural-gas facilities. With oil production set to rise strongly against a background of high oil prices, strong economic growth is set to continue averaging 12.4% in 2008 and 12.2% in 2009.

Angola is the fourth-largest producer of rough diamonds in the world. Output declined during the war because of smuggling, illegal digging and the absence of government control, but De Beers, the world's largest diamond-producing company, has announced plans to form a joint venture with an Angolan firm.

In spite of its oil and diamond wealth, Angola's socioeconomic indicators are among the worst in Africa. In November 2007, it was ranked at 162 out of 177 countries on the U.N. Human Development Index, falling one place since 2006. The World Food Program reported then that many people still were in need of emergency food supplies. International donors, however, have been reluctant to plow more money into the country, where the wealth generated by diamonds and oil has not trickled down to most of the population. Consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to 12.5% in 2007.

Historical background

Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975, but a war of liberation soon turned into a civil conflict that dragged on and on, fueled in part by Cold War anxieties and ambitions.

In February 2002, when Jonas Savimbi, the hard-line leader of the UNITA rebels, was killed in a gunbattle with the army, both sides were presented with an opportunity to pursue peace talks. In November 2002, the government and former rebels signed a peace agreement definitively ending the conflict, except in the Cabinda enclave.

At the time the peace agreement was signed, estimates were that the fighting had left about 1 million dead and nearly 40% of the population displaced. The United Nations reported that, during the war, 30% of all children died before reaching age 5.

Separatist movements

In Cabinda province, where much of Angola's oil wealth lies, a low-level separatist movement calling itself the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda has carried out sporadic attacks against oil interests and government forces in the vicinity of oil facilities. A memorandum of understanding between some of the separatists and the government was signed in 2006, and the area is now relatively more stable.

Nevertheless, attacks by separatists who did not sign up to the peace memorandum have continued. In March 2008, a secessionist group said it had killed several soldiers and severely wounded a foreign worker in separate ambushes--several dozen troops died in clashes in 2007. The province does not share a border with the rest of Angola--it is sandwiched between the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo on Africa's west coast.

The government is very sensitive about security matters, especially in the Cabinda region. This was emphasized in February 2007 with the arrest and detention of a British human-rights worker on charges of spying. The woman had been working for Global Witness, a group that has published a number of reports on corruption and the use of oil revenues in Angola.

Border and regional issues

In July 2007, the leaders of Angola and DR Congo signed a deal to resolve a long-standing border dispute and issues of illegal immigration. The terms of the agreement will return the boundaries to their colonial borders. A team from the former colonial powers Portugal and Belgium will demarcate the border, which will be ratified by the African Union. The border area is rich in oil and diamonds, and thousands of illegal diamond miners were deported from Angola in 2004, amid accusations of brutality.

Institutional corruption

Corruption is reportedly widespread. According to the International Monetary Fund, enormous sums in oil revenues have disappeared from Angola's treasury in recent years. In its 2007 corruption index of nations Transparency International placed Angola at 147 out of 179 countries.

Be prepared to cope with demands for bribes, especially at the airport. Also, be alert to a number of scams perpetrated by personnel at the Luanda airport. Immigration and customs officials sometimes detain foreigners without cause, demanding gratuities before allowing them to enter or depart Angola. There are reports of threats of physical violence.

Forced entry into travelers' checked baggage is common. Have receipts for your checked luggage ready to show as you leave the airport.

Additionally, communications networks are monitored--be careful with sensitive information.

Bribes
Be patient and civil and avoid provoking a confrontation with any official you encounter. Try to deal only with the person who seems to be in charge. If you're accused of some misdeed, ask if you can pay the "fine" on the spot. Overtly offering a bribe could make your situation worse. Instead, offer to make a "donation" to the official's organization for fuel, expenses or other needs.

Human-rights abuses

The human-rights situation in Angola has improved greatly since the end of the conflict, but problems remain, particularly in the Cabinda enclave. In its May 2008 report, Amnesty International said human-rights violations by police include arbitrary arrests and detentions, as well as torture and ill-treatment leading to deaths in custody have continued and few perpetrators are ever brought to justice.

There have been reports of human trafficking; adult and child prostitution is common. Violence and discrimination against women are widespread.

Land mines and unexploded ordnance

Angola is one of most heavily mined countries in the world, and recent reports indicate that land mines number in the hundreds of thousands. Unexploded ordnance also is a grave hazard.

Exercise extreme caution in the countryside, especially in the provincial capitals of Huambo and Bie and in the provinces of Benguela, Malanje, Moxico and Uige. Heavy rain can cause mines to shift. That, in turn, can cause major roadways to be closed until newly exposed mines are disarmed and removed.

In destinations with areas that have been contaminated with land mines or unexploded ordnance, never pick up any unidentified metal or plastic object. Report any finds to local authorities. Exercise caution around construction areas, as mines or ordnance could be uncovered during excavation. Travelers should be accompanied or briefed by guides familiar with mined areas. To the extent possible, remain on well-traveled roads, tracks and paths. Under no circumstances should you enter an area marked as mined.

Additional information

In November 2007, the government made significant changes to visa regulations. Visitors must now obtain a valid visa before traveling or be subject to detention at the airport and deportation. This process may take several days, and detention conditions are very basic.

Although police presence in Luanda has increased significantly, street crime is common, brazen and frequently violent.

In July 2008, seven young men were shot dead in a probable gang rivalry incident in Luanda's high density suburb of Sambizanga when a car load of gunmen drove up to them in the street and opened fire at point blank range.

Slum areas in the capital, particularly Rocha Pinto and Roque Santeiro, are extremely dangerous and not controlled by police. It's safest to avoid those areas altogether. A large proportion of the civil population is armed.

Petty crime

The most common crimes likely to trouble visitors are pickpocketing, theft from vehicles and the snatch-and-run type of robbery, so don't carry anything with you that you're not willing to lose. Cell phones are particularly targeted.

In Luanda, regard the Serpentine area and the Roque Santeiro market as unsafe for walking. Don't leave valuables in your hotel. Take care in areas near hotels, where gangs of street children and other criminals congregate. Avoid travel after dark.

Violent crime

Gangs sometimes jump onto vans or trucks that have slowed at an intersection and attempt to unload them while on the move. Carjacking is common and frequently targets Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai cars, as well as four-wheel-drive vehicles. Carjackings usually involve violence or the threat of violence; criminals have ready access to automatic weapons, especially assault rifles. However, victims who don't resist typically aren't harmed.

To reduce the risk of carjacking, avoid driving alone, especially at night. Keep an eye on persons and vehicles in the vicinity of your vehicle at all times, particularly when stopped at intersections or crosswalks. When driving, try to stay near the center lanes when possible. Always try to leave sufficient maneuvering room between your car and the cars beside and in front of you, especially when stopping in traffic. Check your rear-view mirror regularly to ensure you are not being followed. If you are, do not return to your hotel/residence. Proceed instead to a public place such as the front of a hotel or a police station; get out of the vehicle and seek assistance. Keep your windows rolled up and doors locked at all times. If you encounter a roadblock that does not appear to be manned by uniformed police or you notice a disturbance on the road ahead, turn around and use an alternate route. To minimize the chance of being trapped by a car pulling up behind you, do not pull into a driveway. Be prepared to drive away if you notice persons approaching your vehicle. Plan before you start your trip where you will go to seek assistance if a car attempts to block you or if you are prevented from reaching your destination.

Kidnapping

Members of the separatist FLEC have staged kidnappings and other attacks on foreigners in the Cabinda enclave.

In areas where kidnapping is a threat, it's important to maintain a low profile and don't let your actions or movements become predictable. Don't do, say or wear anything that draws attention to yourself or your nationality. Don't discuss travel plans or financial matters in public. Try to vary your route for any routine travel, and don't depart for or return from work or appointments at the same time every day. If you think you're being followed or surveilled, go to a police station, your embassy or another public place, such as a hotel or museum, and seek assistance.

Police effectiveness

Take pains to watch out for the police. Reports indicate that police are apt to shoot first and ask questions later and will fire at fleeing suspects without regard to other civilians nearby. You should try to travel with someone who is capable of communicating in Portuguese.

The Rapid Intervention Police (commonly called "ninjas") respond to reports of major criminal incidents with heavy force. Police demands for bribes are not uncommon. Visitors are urged to avoid confrontation, especially with the Rapid Intervention Police or the president's elite military troops.

Northern sections of Angola are subject to flooding during the rainy season, November-April. Flash flooding can occur following heavy rain.

Although the country is not located in an active seismic zone, it is occasionally subject to marginal effects of earthquakes along East Africa's Great Rift Valley.

Desert conditions prevail south of Luanda, where periodic droughts have caused intertribal tensions related to water rights.

Flooding

In January 2007, more than 75 people died after a week of storms and heavy rain caused flash flooding; most of the deaths occurred in Luanda. The following month, eastern areas of the country near the border with Zambia were badly affected by rising floodwaters from the Zambezi River. Severe flooding in February 2008 left thousands of people homeless.

Floods kill more people than any other weather phenomenon--and most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Do not drive in an area where flooding is expected unless your journey is absolutely necessary. Water on roadways can be deeper than it looks and could cause your vehicle to stall. Do not attempt to drive through water if you are unsure of its depth, especially if the water is flowing rapidly, such as at a flooded bridge approach--as little as 12 in/30 cm of running water can wash away most vehicles. When proceeding through water, drive slowly and steadily to avoid creating a bow wave, and allow oncoming traffic to pass first. Keep the engine revving to prevent water getting into the exhaust and stalling the engine. Note that the air intake on many modern cars is located low down at the front of the engine bay, and it only takes a small quantity of water sucked into the engine to cause serious damage. Any engine may be affected, but turbo-charged and diesel engines are most vulnerable. If your car stalls, immediately abandon it and climb to higher ground. As you move away, watch your footing. Just 6 in/15 cm of fast-moving floodwater can sweep a person off his or her feet. Test your brakes as soon as you can after driving through water.

Health care in Angola is very limited. Embassies in Luanda can provide specific contact information for facilities.

Medical facilities

Adequate medical facilities are virtually nonexistent except in Luanda, where there are some good private clinics that offer 24-hour service from a general practitioner with specialists on call. Routine operations can be performed. Many medicines are unavailable, and the majority of those available are thought to be counterfeit.

Emergency care

Ambulance service is unreliable. Medical insurance is essential and should cover emergency repatriation by air.

Diseases

Health officials say the chloroquine-resistant form of malaria is responsible for 20,000 deaths annually in Angola. Seek medical advice about malaria preventives and take measures to prevent mosquito bites.

Cholera is prevalent. An outbreak of cholera that started in Luanda in 2006 has since spread throughout the country, and several thousand deaths have been reported. Health authorities said the spread of the disease was exacerbated by severe sewage pollution of rivers in the country.

There has been a dramatic increase in tripanosomiasis, commonly known as sleeping sickness, which is carried by the tsetse fly. The disease is prevalent in Uije, Malanje, Kwanza-Norte, Kwanza-Sul, Zaire and Bengo provinces.

Take precautions against hepatitis A and B, yellow fever, rabies and polio before traveling to Angola. Central Bie province has been particularly affected by polio, with hundreds of new cases reported in 2007. Hansen's disease (or leprosy) and tuberculosis are also prevalent in the province.

Although the extent of HIV/AIDS infection is unknown, it is believed to be very high.

In November 2007, the World Health Organization said a mysterious illness in Luanda province was very likely to have been the result of use of table salt highly contaminated with sodium bromide. It is still unknown how the salt was contaminated.

Mosquitoes carry many serious illnesses, including dengue fever, malaria and West Nile virus. To prevent bites and avoid infection, reduce the amount of exposed skin by wearing long sleeves, long pants, socks and shoes when you're outdoors. Use insect repellent containing deet on exposed skin. Avoid outdoor activities from dusk to dawn, the time when mosquitoes are most active.

Cholera is usually contracted after consuming contaminated water or food. In areas where the disease is endemic, visitors should take care not to consume untreated water (including ice) or eat undercooked or raw foods, especially fish or shellfish. Stick to beverages and ice that are made from boiled or chlorinated water or that are carbonated. Foods that are cooked and served hot are usually safe. Fruits and vegetables that you wash with clean water and peel yourself also are generally safe. Don't assume that food and beverages served on airline flights, trains or vessels departing from affected areas are safe--items served on board the aircraft may have been locally obtained and could be contaminated. Seek medical assistance if you think you may have been exposed.

Additional information

Yellow fever inoculation is an official requirement and is enforced at the airport. Passengers lacking proper certification are sometimes threatened by airport health officials with vaccinations using unsterilized instruments--unless bribes are paid.

Water in Angola is not safe to drink, even in Luanda and other cities. Bottled water is available at hotels and restaurants and should be used at all times. Food purchased from local street vendors may not meet adequate hygiene standards.

Travel in Angola is hazardous. Most internal travel continues to be by air. The quality and maintenance of aircraft operated by nonscheduled airlines within Angola are open to serious question. Since the end of the civil war, overland access to the interior has increased, although overland routes to neighboring countries are frequently closed.

Road conditions

Road conditions vary widely outside the capital, from acceptable paved surfaces to virtually impassable dirt roads, particularly on secondary routes. Although some roads gradually are being opened up, conditions are very poor; travel is usually in convoy. Roads are crowded with livestock and pedestrians, and overloaded vehicles often move too fast for the conditions.

Traffic in Luanda is consistently heavy and often chaotic; roads in the capital are generally in poor condition. Few intersections have traffic lights or police to direct the flow of vehicles. Drivers routinely fail to obey traffic lights, lanes and stop signs, and there are frequent breakdowns of badly maintained vehicles. Itinerant vendors and pedestrians often weave in and out of traffic, posing a danger to themselves and to drivers. Drunken driving is common and causes many accidents.

Automobile accidents often provide an opportunity for particularly dangerous situations in which a mob gathers after a collision, breaks into the vehicles involved and steals the contents. Arrange for radio, cell phone or satellite phone service so that you can call for help in the event of an auto accident.

Carry identity documents and vehicle documentation at all times.

Public transportation

Beyond a single call-in taxi service, usually available at the airport, all public transportation, including buses and van taxis, should be avoided. The vehicles are generally crowded, unsafe and unreliable. As a result, most people in the city rely on taxis.

In areas where crime on buses, subways or trains is a problem, stay alert at all times. Use only well-lighted, busy bus and subway stops. Try to sit near the driver or conductor, or in a car that contains several other passengers. Keep a good grip on your bag or purse. If you're carrying a cellular phone, keep it secure. Watch to see who gets off at the same time you do--if it's someone you feel is suspicious, go at once to the nearest public place and ask for help.

Air travel

Although airport security systems are not fully functional yet and aircraft maintenance is unreliable, most internal travel in Angola is by air. U.N. personnel are advised to use only Sonair or Air Gemini.

Air travelers arriving in Luanda should arrange reliable and secure ground transportation in advance.

You should avoid flying with the national airline, TAAG if an acceptable alternative means of travel exists. TAAG, has been refused permission to operate services to the EU because it does not meet international safety standards.

The country's infrastructure suffered severely from the war, and many services have not yet recovered. Power outages and brownouts are common. Communications facilities are unreliable, and when working are of poor quality. Transport services and hotel accommodations are scarce outside the capital city. Fire department services are unreliable.

Don't change money on the street, as you're likely to receive counterfeit Angolan or U.S. currency. Newer U.S. notes featuring large images of presidents are accepted at many businesses, but older notes (those with smaller images) are not accepted.

No matter how safe you perceive a destination to be, it's important to use good judgment.

• Pay attention to local media.
• Avoid open displays of wealth, jewelry or other valuables. Safeguard travel documents such as passports and airline tickets.
• Avoid confrontations with locals.
• Avoid demonstrations and protests, especially if they appear political in nature.
• Don't permit people you don't know to enter your accommodations. Keep your door locked. Don't leave valuables in your room unless they can be locked in a safe.
• Avoid illegal drugs, and don't drink alcohol if its use is prohibited. Even if drinking is legal, don't overindulge.
• Be cautious of unsolicited offers of assistance from strangers.

In recent years, political terrorism has become a global phenomenon - an attack could occur with little warning anywhere in the world, even in destinations long regarded as safe. Travelers should keep themselves informed of developments that could affect their safety, no matter what their destination.