[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 129 (Tuesday, August 2, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S3866]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 736--CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT OF ANGOLA TO HOLD 
 FREE, FAIR, AND PEACEFUL ELECTIONS ON AUGUST 24, 2022, AND FOR OTHER 
                                PURPOSES

  Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. Cardin, and Mr. Van Hollen) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 736

       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
       Resolved, 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.

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