The pact, worked out in almost a year of negotiations in Lusaka, would try to end a civil war that has survived despite previous peace treaties, a national election and international pressure against the combatants.
Alioune Blondin Beye, the UN special representative who mediated the protracted and sometimes struggling negotiations, said he was confident this agreement would mean lasting peace, and not unravel as did a truce that the United Nations negotiated in 1991.
"This time we're going to have direct international involvement, including the presence of UN peacekeepers. We have also tried to address the deeper issues rather than just put a cease-fire in place," Beye said. Negotiators from the government and the rebels flanked Beye at a news conference but did not speak. They appeared elated, joking and laughing together.
The agreement covered 10 points, including a cease-fire, power sharing and the confining of disarmed rebel forces in barracks until they can be integrated into a new national army.
Beye said negotiators would now return to Angola to present the agreement to their leaders for ratification, and that a signing ceremony in Lusaka was expected in "a matter of days."
Under the treaty, a UN force of foreign troops would provide security while President Jose Eduardo dos Santos' government and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola rebels carry out a power-sharing arrangement.
A joint commission, comprising members of the government, the rebels and the UN, would oversee implementation of the agreement. Russia, Portugal and the United States would have observer status.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.