The end of the war: the Luena Memorandum of Understanding Aaron Griffiths (2004) The killing of UNITA’s leader Jonas Savimbi by government forces in February 2002 opened a door for the end of the conflict. The article outlines the circumstances, decisions and mechanisms that resulted in the signing of the Luena Memorandum of Understanding just two months later. It also notes the weaknesses of the process and the agreement: principally that it was a government-driven initiative, which dealt with military matters and excluded all social and political groups outside the government and the UNITA leadership. The question remains as to whether a more inclusive process and agreement might not have laid better foundations for genuine democratization, reconciliation and reconstruction.
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