Kidnap risk increases in Angola

17 April 2016 - RPS Partnership

We bring you this alert from red24 who have just increased the kidnap risk rating for Angola from low to medium. This increase is in light of a reassessment of the risk in the capital, Luanda, as well as elsewhere.

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Analysis

The risk of kidnapping in Angola has been increased after 2015 witnessed a growth in kidnapping activity in the capital, Luanda, as well as increased militant activity from separatist rebels in the Cabinda exclave, where there has been a long-standing increased kidnapping risk.

Specifically, the separatist Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) continues to target oil workers in the region as part of its efforts to halt oil production and gain control of the exclave. In Luanda, a spate of kidnappings has been reported as wealthy locals and Chinese nationals have been targeted by criminal syndicates for significant ransom amounts.

As a result of the fast-growing threat, the Chinese government requested that authorities do more to protect Chinese nationals in the country. Although the threat has remained confined to locals and the Chinese expat community, 2016 may see an extension of the KRE threat to individuals outside of the current target group, potentially to Western nationals. In addition, elevated security measures to counter the threat in Luanda, as well as a worsening economic climate, may push criminal syndicates to expand their networks into alternate urban centres.

Advice

Foreign business personnel, particularly people with longer-term business interests in Angola, particularly in Luanda or the Cabinda exclave, should exercise heightened security awareness at all times, including maintaining a low public profile and refraining from displaying overt signs of wealth.

Please note that clients are advised against non-essential travel to the Cabinda exclave, due to an ongoing insurgency, as well as kidnappings of both locals and foreign nationals. Protective security measures are recommended.

Contact [email protected] for more informaton on travel to this area. We can provide advice and training.

Photo: with thanks to www.operationworld.org and venturesafrica.com