From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Angola Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 19:25:53 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:2055 Path: world!bzs Message-ID: <199901151429_MC2-66CC-6C7@compuserve.com> Sender: "U.S. Department of State" <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Approved: usenet@world.std.com Distribution: wstd Precedence: bulk Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-List-Info: LN=travel-advisories WHOM=76702.1202@compuserve.com Content-Disposition: inline Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Mime-Version: 1.0 Lines: 203 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Angola ============================================================ Angola - Travel Warning January 14, 1999 The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Angola because of renewed military conflict and continuing violent crime. Travel within Angola remains unsafe due to bandit attacks, undisciplined police and military personnel, sporadic high-intensity military actions in interior provinces, and unexploded land mines in rural areas. Foreign nationals, especially independent entrepreneurs, are subject to arbitrary detention and/or deportation by immigration and police authorities. Americans who find travel to Angola unavoidable are strongly urged to contact the U.S. Embassy for up-to-date information. Travel outside Luanda is inadvisable. American citizens traveling outside Luanda despite this warning should always contact the U.S. Embassy for the latest information on security conditions in the provinces to which visits are planned. For further information on Angola, please see the Department of State's latest Consular Information Sheet on Angola. This replaces the Travel Warning dated July 15, 1998 to update information on the security situation in Angola. Angola - Consular Information Sheet July 28, 1998 Warning: The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Angola because of continued unsettled conditions, violent crime and the heightened potential for political-military instability due to the lack of progress in the peace process since April 1998. Travel within Angola remains unsafe due to bandit attacks, undisciplined police and troops, low-intensity military actions in a number of interior provinces, and unexploded land mines in rural areas. Foreign nationals, especially independent entrepreneurs, are subject to arbitrary detention and/or deportation by immigration and police authorities. Americans who find travel to Angola unavoidable are strongly urged to contact the U.S. Embassy in Luanda for up-to-date information. Travel outside Luanda should not be initiated without contacting the U.S. Embassy for the latest information on security conditions in the provinces the traveler plans to visit. Country Description: Angola is a large, developing African country which has been engulfed in war and civil strife since independence from Portugal in 1975. A peace accord signed in 1994 brought a halt to Angola's civil war, but unsettled political-military conditions and the potential for renewed fighting continue to make travel to and within Angola extremely unsafe. Facilities for tourism are non-existent. Severe shortages of lodging, transportation, food, water, medicine and utilities plague Luanda and other cities. Shortages cause unsanitary conditions in many areas, including Luanda. Entry Requirements: A passport and visa are required. Travelers should not attempt to enter Angola without a valid visa, obtained in advance, and an International Certificate of Vaccination. Persons arriving without visas are subject to possible arrest and/or deportation. Travelers whose international immunization cards do not show inoculations against yellow fever and cholera may be subject to involuntary vaccinations and/or heavy fines. Visitors remaining in Angola beyond their authorized visa duration are subject to fines and possible arrest. Current information on entry requirements may be obtained from the Embassy of the Republic of Angola at 1615 M Street, N.W., Suite 900, Washington, D.C. 20036, (202) 785-1156. Areas of Instability: The security situation in Angola remains extremely volatile. Large crowds and demonstrations should be avoided. Travel in the interior is unsafe because of bandit attacks in villages and on major highways, and land mines. Localized armed clashes may also occur as the Angolan government normalizes its authority throughout the country in accordance with its peace agreement with National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). Medical Facilities: Adequate medical facilities are virtually non-existent throughout Angola, and most medicine is not available. Chloroquine-resistant and cerebral malaria are endemic to the region. Health providers often expect immediate cash payment for health services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. The Medicare/Medicaid program does not provide for payment of medical services outside the United States. Travelers have found that supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage and medical evacuation coverage has proven useful. For additional health information travelers can contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international travelers hotline, telephone 1-888-232-3238 or autofax at 1-888-232-3229 or via the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov. Crime Information: Violent crime occurs regularly throughout Angola. Street crime is common in all areas of Luanda, at all hours. Foreigners, including U.S. citizens, have been the targets of violent robberies in their homes and hotel rooms. Because of the high incidence of armed robberies and carjackings, travelers are cautioned against airport arrivals after dark, and should ensure before arrival that they have arranged for reliable transportation from the airport. Only unregulated taxis are available at the airport and in Luanda. They are unsafe, a high crime risk and should not be used. City streets are patrolled by soldiers and police who normally carry automatic weapons. They are unpredictable and their authority should not be challenged. All motorists should stop at nighttime police checkpoints if so ordered. Police officers, often while still in uniform, frequently participate in shakedowns, muggings, carjackings and murders. A recent police operation against illegal aliens and private companies has resulted in the deportation of foreign nationals and the loss of personal and company property. Some foreign businesspeople were forced to sign statements renouncing property claims in Angola before being deported. Independent entrepreneurs in Angola should carry all relevant immigration and business documents at all times. Travelers should be alert to a number of scams perpetrated by Luanda airport personnel. Immigration and customs officials sometimes detain foreigners without cause, demanding gratuities before allowing them to enter or depart Angola. Airport health officials sometimes threaten arriving passengers with "vaccinations" with unsterilized instruments if gratuities are not paid. The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported to local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. The pamphlets "A Safe Trip Abroad" and "Tips for Travelers to Sub-Saharan Africa" provide useful information on protecting personal security while traveling abroad and on travel in the region in general. Both are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 20402. Currency Restrictions: U.S. dollars can be converted to local currency at exchange houses authorized by the Angolan government. Rapid fluctuations in the value of the Angolan Kwanza, and shortages of U.S. dollars are widespread. Currency conversions on the parallel (black) market are illegal and participants are subject to arrest. In general, only the newer series US 100 dollar bills are accepted due to widespread counterfeiting of the older style. Road Safety and In-Country Travel: Destinations in the interior are accessible safely only by private or chartered aircraft. Civilians have been killed by bandits and landmines exploding while traveling overland. Overland routes to neighboring countries are generally not open. If travel outside Luanda is unavoidable, Americans are strongly urged to contact the U.S. Embassy for information regarding the security situation in the provinces to be visited. While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions which differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Angola is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance. Safety of Public Transportation: poor Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance: poor Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance: poor Availability of Roadside Assistance: poor Aviation Safety Oversight: As there is no direct commercial air service by local carriers at present, or economic authority to operate such service, between the U.S. and Angola, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Angola's civil aviation authority for compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of Angola's air carrier operations. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation within the U.S. at 1-800-322-7873, or visit the FAA Internet home page at http://www.faa.gov/avr/iasa.htm. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) separately assesses some foreign air carriers for suitability as official providers of air services. For information regarding the DOD policy on specific carriers, travelers may contact the Pentagon at (703) 697-7288. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties for possession, use or trafficking in illegal drugs are strict and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. Embassy Location/Registration: U.S. citizens are encouraged to register with and obtain updated information on travel and security from the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Luanda located at the Casa Inglesa Complex, Rua Major Kanhangula No. 132/135, Luanda. The Consular Section's telephone number is 244-2-396-927; FAX 244-2-390-515. The U.S. Embassy is located on Rua Houari Boumedienne in the Miramar area of Luanda, P.O. Box 6468, telephone 244-2-347-028/(345-481)/(346-418); (the 24-hour number duty officer number is 244-9-501-343); fax 244-2-346-924. No. 98-114 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated April 21, 1997, to update the Travel Warning, Areas of Instability, Road Safety and In-Country Travel and the Embassy telephone and fax numbers. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. To unsubscribe, send a message containing the word "unsubscribe" to: travel-advisories-request@stolaf.edu Archives of past "travel-advisories" postings are available at the URL: "http://www.stolaf.edu/network/travel-advisories.html" or via Gopher: gopher.stolaf.edu, Internet Resources/US-State-Department-Travel-Advisories