Daily Digest; Joining the dotted lines between Cabinda and Biafra

The Republic of Cabinda  also called the République du Cabinda,ft is an unrecognized state in southern Africa. The Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC-FAC) claims sovereignty from Angola and proclaimed the Republic of Cabinda as an independent country in 1975. The government of this (internationally not recognized) entity operates in exile, with offices located in Paris, France and Pointe Noire, Congo-Brazzaville.

The 1885 Treaty of Simulambuco designated Cabinda a Portuguese protectorate known as the Portuguese Congo, which was administratively separate from Portuguese West Africa (Angola). In the 20th century, Portugal decided to integrate Cabinda into Angola, giving it the status of a district of that "overseas province". During the Portuguese colonial war, FLEC fought for the independence of Cabinda from the Portuguese. Independence was proclaimed on 1 August 1975, and FLEC formed a provisional government led by Henriques Tiago. Luiz Branque Franquo was elected president.

In January 1975, Angola’s three national liberation movements (People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MLPA), National Liberation Front of Angola(NFLA) and National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (NUTIA) met with the colonial power in Alvor, Portugal, to establish the modalities of the transition to independence. FLEC was not invited. The Alvor Agreement was signed, establishing Angolan independence and confirming Cabinda as parts of Angola. After Angolan independence was declared in November 1975, Cabinda was occupied by the forces of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), which had been present in Cabinda since the mid-1960s, sustaining an anti-colonial guerrilla war that was rather more efficient than the one run by FLEC.