Since independence, Angola has witnessed twenty-plus years of civil war and a string of broken peace agreements. "It is not difficult to be a cynic about Angola", notes Ambassador Hare, who is one of a dedicated group working for a lasting solution to the Angolan conflict. In this behind-the-scenes account of the negotiation and implementation of the 1994 Lusaka Protocol, Hare describes how representatives of the UN and "the Troika" (USA, Russia and Portugal) launched negotiations with the rebel forces of UNITA, led by Jonas Savimbi and the Dos Santos government to address their differences and to plot a peaceful course for the country's future. The book offers a picture of the interplay of personalities and policy agendas in this large, resource-rich country. Hare follows the uneven process of implementation of the Lusaka Protocol through to 1998, concluding with a look at the lessons of Angola for other conflicts, both in Africa and elsewhere.