The Separation Story Of Angola And Brazil

Angola and Brazil were once part of the Portuguese Empire, united for three hundred years. In 1646, Jesuit priest Gonçalo João stated the importance of the economic relationship between Brazil and Angola, saying, Without Angola, there is no Brazil. Angola was a major source of slaves to Brazil, which was the largest single importer of slaves during the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

In 1975, Angola became independent from Portugal. However, the country soon entered a long period of civil war that lasted until 2002. During this time, Angola and Brazil's relationship was strained, with the United States clandestinely supporting UNITA, one of the factions in the Angolan Civil War.

In 2002, Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos paid a visit to Brazil, and in 2003, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva paid an official visit to Angola. Since then, there have been several high-level visits between leaders of both nations, and the two countries have signed multiple agreements, including an Agreement on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation and an Agreement on Security and Internal Order.

Angola and Brazil's shared history as former Portuguese colonies

Angola and Brazil share a long history as former colonies of Portugal. The Portuguese arrived on the coast of Angola in the late 15th century and established a settlement in 1575, naming it São Paulo de Loanda (Luanda). The Portuguese struggled against the kingdoms of Kongo, Ndongo, and Matamba to gain control of the interior.

Angola and Brazil were united for three hundred years as part of the Portuguese Empire. During this time, Angola was a major source of slaves for Brazil, which was the largest single importer of slaves during the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Two-thirds of the slaves in Brazil originated from the Angola-Congo region.

The Dutch occupied Angola in the early 17th century, and Brazil and Portugal acted as "co-colonizers" in their efforts to reclaim the territory. After the Dutch were expelled from Angola in 1648, Angola was essentially under Brazilian rule, ensuring the continuity of slavery in Brazil for over two centuries.

Brazil's influence in Angola grew substantially after 1650, with some observers comparing Angola's relationship with Brazil to that of a colony to its empire. Contact with Brazil led to the transfer of cassava from South America to Angola, transforming Angolan agriculture and increasing the diversity of the local diet.

Following the independence of Brazil in 1822, there was a desire among some communities in Luanda and Benguela to also declare independence from Portugal and form a confederacy with Brazil. However, these plans ultimately failed due to diplomatic pressure from Great Britain and stronger political lobbying from Angolans aligned with Lisbon.

After Angola gained independence in 1975, Brazil became the first country to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with the newly independent nation. Despite their shared history, the two countries have experienced divergent paths, with Angola suffering from a long and bloody civil war that lasted until 2002, while Brazil has become a leading economic power in South America.

Angola's role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade

The slave trade in Angola was largely controlled by agents called pombeiros, who roamed the interior and bought slaves, called "peas" or "pieces", from local chiefs in exchange for commodities such as cloth and wine. The pombeiros then returned to the ports of Luanda or Benguela with chain gangs of several hundred captives, who were malnourished and in poor condition from the arduous trip on foot. On the coast, the captives were better fed and baptised en masse by Roman Catholic priests before embarking on their sea crossing.

During the 1700s, slave trading dominated the Portuguese economy in Angola. By the end of the 18th century, Benguela rivalled Luanda as a slave port. Angola may have been the source of as many as 2 million slaves for the New World, with more than half going to Brazil, nearly a third to the Caribbean, and 10-15% to the Ro de la Plata area on the southeastern coast of South America. Considering those who died during transport and the crossing, Angola may have lost as many as 4 million people as a result of the slave trade.

The Atlantic slave trade from Angola to the New World began in the 16th century and continued until 1860. It is estimated that more than 5 million slaves were brought to the Western Hemisphere from Angola, with about a quarter of all Africans landing in North America (around 93,000) coming from Angola.

Angola and Brazil's post-independence relations

Angola and Brazil were both colonies of Portugal and share many cultural ties, including language and religion. In November 1975, Brazil became the first country to recognise and establish diplomatic relations with the newly independent Angola.

Angola's civil war began in 1975 and continued until 2002. In July 2002, Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos paid a visit to Brazil to attend the 4th CPLP Summit in Brasília. In 2003, Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, paid an official visit to Angola. There have been several high-level visits between leaders of both nations since.

The Angola–Brazil relationship benefits from the presence of a significant number of Brazilian workers, self-employed professionals and entrepreneurs, who work, live and contribute to Angola's economy. In the defence area, Brazil participates in military exercises alongside Angola, either within the scope of the CPLP, or in the context of the “Obangame Express” operation on simulations to combat illicit activities in the Gulf of Guinea.

In November 2015, both nations celebrated 40 years of diplomatic relations. In January 2019, Angolan Foreign Minister, Manuel Domingos Augusto, paid a visit to Brazil to attend the inauguration of President Jair Bolsonaro. In December 2019, Brazilian Foreign Minister, Ernesto Araújo, paid an official visit to Angola and met with President João Lourenço.

Angola's civil war and its impact

Angola's civil war was a 27-year conflict that began in 1975, the same year the country gained independence from Portugal, and ended in 2002. It was a power struggle between two former anti-colonial guerrilla movements: the communist People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the anti-communist National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). A third movement, the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA), also played a role in the conflict, but to a lesser extent.

The war was characterised by violent internal dynamics and a high degree of foreign military and political involvement, with the Soviet Union and Cuba supporting the MPLA, and the United States, South Africa, and China backing the UNITA. It is widely considered a Cold War proxy conflict.

The war had a devastating impact on Angola, resulting in the deaths of between 500,000 and 800,000 people, the internal displacement of over one million, and severe damage to the country's infrastructure, public administration, economy, and religious institutions.

The conflict also had significant social and political consequences. It exacerbated ethnic tensions within the country, with the MPLA, UNITA, and FNLA representing different ethnic groups with differing political ideologies. The MPLA was primarily supported by the Ambundu people and the multiracial intelligentsia of cities such as Luanda, while the FNLA was rooted among the Bakongo people and UNITA among the Ovimbundu, Angola's largest ethnic group.

The war also disrupted the country's transition to independence, with the power-sharing agreement between the three rebel groups collapsing in 1975. This was further aggravated by the withdrawal of the Portuguese, who refused to impose peace or supervise elections before exiting Angola, leaving the country in a state of political turmoil.

The civil war had long-lasting effects on Angola, with landmines still causing civilian casualties today and contributing to ongoing instability. The conflict also left a disastrous humanitarian crisis, with one-third of the country's population internally displaced and lacking access to basic services and infrastructure.

Angola's geology and prehistoric links to Brazil

Angola's geology reveals a prehistoric split between South America and Africa and the subsequent formation of the South Atlantic Ocean. The southern coast of Angola provides a complete geological record of the two continents moving apart. The country is characterised by large areas of Precambrian-age rocks, with the west exhibiting meta-sedimentary rocks of Proterozoic age. The Mesozoic era, in particular, is rich in fossil vertebrates, including marine reptiles such as turtles, mosasaurs, and plesiosaurs, which are linked to the opening of the South Atlantic.

Angola and Brazil were once part of the supercontinent Gondwana, which broke off from Pangea. The western coast of Africa and the eastern coast of South America fit together like a "jigsaw puzzle," indicating their shared geological history. This split occurred around 140 million years ago, causing rifts in the Earth's crust and the formation of new oceanic crust, eventually leading to the South Atlantic Ocean.

The cultural ties between Angola and Brazil are also significant. As former Portuguese colonies, they share cultural ties, including language and religion. Additionally, Angola was a major source of slaves for Brazil during the transatlantic slave trade. This economic relationship was highlighted by Jesuit priest Gonçalo João, who stated, "Without Angola, there is no Brazil." The historical period of Dutch occupation in the early 17th century further cemented the connection between the two countries.

In conclusion, Angola's geology provides valuable insights into the prehistoric split between South America and Africa, while its cultural and historical links to Brazil demonstrate a shared past and ongoing bilateral relations.

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