This paper, part of the European Commission financed 'Initiative for Peacebuilding' project, argues that the international community’s engagement in Angola appears to reinforce, rather than improve, current state-society relations in the de-facto authoritarian system. Foreign actors' economic interests seem to override their commitment to attaining good governance and transparency.
Although there are important entry points for international actors to exert a positive influence, what is still absent is a deeper level of donor commitment from global powers as well as private and public companies and financial entities. An increased engagement would help to overcome the gap between state elite and population and bring about real democratic change in Angola.