Luanda reaffirms boycott of OAU summit

The Angolan government this week reiterated its intention to boycott the annual summit of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) if it is held in Togo.

A foreign ministry statement carried on state television said although it had learned of the expulsion of 56 UNITA rebel supporters by the government of President Gnassingbé Eyadema, “the Angolan government considers Togo’s attempt at reducing their involvement in the Angolan conflict as inadequate”.

At the summit scheduled 10-12 July, Eyadema is to be elected to the OAU’s rotating chairmanship. “The Togolese government’s action clearly confirms the UN sanctions committee’s recent disclosure regarding Angola in resolution 1295/2000, citing Togo as a state which supports [UNITA leader] Jonas Savimbi,” it said.

For the expulsions to be “credible”, however, Luanda said they should have been witnessed by the UN Security Council’s sanctions committee. It should also have named the UNITA activists and the countries to which they had been sent.

“Despite their action of good faith, direct contact between UNITA and Togo is still maintained,” it said. “The Angolan government stands by its current decision to oppose the 36th OAU Summit being held in Togo.”