It therefore seemed appropriate to the Dutch embassy in Luanda to commemorate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations by means of a small book. To that purpose, the embassy invited people who have lived in or were involved with Angola in the past thirty years to tell their story. This has resulted in a colourful collection. We do not claim it to be complete and in some parts it may be coloured by personal experiences but that is the strength of this small publication: It is not a formal document but a collection of personal impressions written from different perspectives.

The book retells among other things the experiences of three Angolan artists in the Netherlands, a doctor who worked for years in Angola and Dutch soldiers who participated in Peace Missions of the United Nations (UNAVEM). Furthermore, there are stories about the demining, the Angola Comité and Dutch companies in Angola. All these diverse traits only represent a minor part of the ‘Unexpected Ties’ shared by Angola and the Netherlands.

This commemoration would not have been possible without the dedication of the ambassadors and their co-workers, who maintained the relation between Angola and the Netherlands in often difficult circumstances.

If you are interested in receiving a copy of this publication, which is available in Dutch and Portuguese, please do not hesitate to contact the embassy via e-mail at: lua@minbuza.nl.