Angola Marks 50 Years of Independence

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Above: Performers push a large anniversary-logo float during a parade marking Angola's 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations at the Memorial Antonio Agostinho Neto in Luanda on Nov. 11, 2025. Image copyright: Julio Pacheco Ntela/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-government narrative

Angola's 50th independence anniversary showcases a nation transformed from colonial oppression to regional leadership. After defeating Portuguese colonialism and apartheid threats, Angola emerged as a peace-building force that helped liberate Southern Africa. The country now leads infrastructure development through projects like the Lobito Corridor while diversifying beyond oil dependence.

Pan African Visions Mozambique

Government-critical narrative

Angola's independence promises remain unfulfilled after five decades of authoritarian rule and economic inequality. Despite oil wealth, most citizens live in poverty, with 80% working informally while the youth faces 28% unemployment. The government suppresses dissent through violence, killing protesters like Inocêncio de Matos without accountability, proving freedom exists only for the elite.

Amnesty International Africanews RFI

Establishment-critical narrative

Trump may congratulate Angola on its 50th independence anniversary, but the history of Angola-U.S. relations tells a tragic story. Behind the celebrations lies a nation scarred by a Cold War proxy war fueled by Washington’s geopolitical ambitions. Kissinger’s policies turned Angola into a battlefield of empires — and today’s jubilee echoes both pride and the ghosts of foreign intervention.

Jacobin

Ranga Mberi on X