The gradual collapse of the Soviet Union, which ended in dissolution 20 years ago, had wide ranging effects across Africa. From Marxist-inspired governments and movements that lost their backers, to new conflicts, awash with weapons and mercenaries from the former Soviet sphere, made a deep impact.

During the Cold War, described by many analysts as a geographical chess game between the Soviet Union and the United States to either spread the socialist system or prevent it, Africa was not immune from its fallout.

Angola's internal strife

Angola is one example of how the situation sometimes became a protracted civil war.

The winners of the war in Angola, and rulers since independence from Portugal in 1975, were the Soviet-backed People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola.

But when Soviet-backed Cuban troops pulled out completely in 1991, and the Soviet Union stopped sending weapons and aid, Angola's government renounced Marxism and adopted free market policies.

An Angolan author and journalist with the newspaper Semanario Angolense, Sousa Jamba, said the change away from socialist ideology was very abrupt and[...]

[Published in AidNews - Read the original article]