Political beneficiaries of humanitarianism? The FNLA and the Angolan refugee crisis in the Congo (1960–1975)

2025/02/10 by Ana Guardião · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #African history and culture studies #Historical and Contemporary Political Dynamics

paper · doi:10.1080/14682745.2024.2404828

openalex publication_date 2025/02/10 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22

Abstract

During the Angolan decolonisation war, the humanitarian crisis prompted by hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing to the Congo was tackled by a multiplicity of actors, among them the Angolan National Liberation Front (FNLA). FNLA’s role in responding to the crisis helped the Front to sustain its claims of sovereignty over the Angolan people in a context shaped by decolonising and Cold War dynamics. This article shows how the FNLA leaned on the refugee crisis to build solidarity networks among Western (mainly American) actors through humanitarian repertoires of governance, but also how local dynamics reveal complex relationships between the FNLA and refugees.

Discussions

• ❗New publication ❗ Ana Guardião's latest article has been published in Cold War History! 'Political beneficiaries of humanitarianism? The FNLA and the Angolan refugee crisis in the Congo (1960–1975)' [bsky, 6 points, 0 comments]

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