Following three decades of civil war, Angolans went to the polls Sept. 5 for the first time in 16 years. The parliamentary elections unfolded in a largely peaceful manner, much to the credit of citizens who came out in large numbers, political parties that encouraged members to adhere to a strict code of conduct, and local election monitors who were deployed throughout the country.

NDI worked closely with its Angolan partner, The National Platform of Angolan Civil Society for Elections, a network of provincial election monitoring organizations, to encourage citizen involvement in the process and assuage fears that competition would spark violence as it did in 1992 during Angola's first post-independence elections. The Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) did not accept the results of that contest and fighting swiftly returned, unleashing the most brutal period of the country's civil war.

This year, a non-partisan Angolan organization observed elections for the first time. NDI supported the efforts of the Platform to monitor the election process, assisting in the recruitment, training and deployment of more than 1,000 observers in 87 of the country's 164 municipalities. NDI also helped organize an election day command center, where volunteers received and compiled observation data and incident reports sent in by observers from polling stations across the country.

Domestic and international observers reported logistical and organizational challenges and procedural inconsistencies, particularly in the capital, Luanda. But the process was peaceful and UNITA accepted the results, which showed the ruling Movement for the Popular Liberation of Angola (MPLA) receiving 82 percent of the vote compared to 10 percent for UNITA. Three days after the election, a UNITA spokesperson conceded, saying that "despite everything that happened, the leadership accepts the election results and hopes the winning party will govern in the interest of all Angolans."

In the post-election period, NDI is working with the National Platform to organize roundtable discussions with its observers, election specialists, political parties and international observer groups to analyze the performance of the Angolan National Election Commission. In addition, participants will explore ways in which the electoral process can be strengthened in advance of the long-awaited presidential election, expected in 2009.

The Platform also will work to build political support for comprehensive electoral reform by encouraging the establishment of an election timeline and revisions to the constitution and 2004 election law.

The largely successful parliamentary elections have brought greater stability to the country, affording more opportunity for political party growth and democratic engagement by citizens at the municipal level. But the challenges remain, such as how to promote accountability and pluralism in a country governed by a dominant political party.

In addition to monitoring the upcoming presidential election, the National Platform plans to observe municipal polls scheduled for 2010 and will then work with local partners to monitor newly-elected local governments.