Glimmers of Hope

THE TRIPARTITE ACCORD

  • The dire military situation on the Angolan/Namibian border – that had reached a critical point at the end of 1987 – was defused by the Tripartite Accord between South Africa, Angola, and Cuba in December 1988. The negotiations leading to the Accord were supported and facilitated by the United States – under the direction of Prof Chester Crocker, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa. In terms of the agreement:
  • Cuban forces would withdraw from Angola by 1990; and
  • South Africa would agree to the implementation of the United Nations Independence Plan for Namibia.

NAMIBIAN INDEPENDENCE
 

Martti Ahtisaari and Sam Nujoma

Fidel Castro meeting Mikhail Gorbachev