Afonso Van-Dúnem

Afonso Van-Dúnem aka M'Binda (7 September 1941 – 14 November 2014) was an Angolan politician. Van-Dúnem worked as the MPLA-Workers' Party representative in Zambia and Tanzania from 1970 to 1972, as well as being elected to the Central Committee of the MPLA from 1976 onwards. He was also Minister of External Relations from 1985 to 1989 and Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 1991 to 2000.^[1]

Afonso Van-Dúnem "Mbinda"
Provincial Commissioner of Luanda
In office 1977–1978
Preceded by	Pedro F. Luís Manuel
Succeeded by	A. Mendes de Carvalho
Foreign Minister of Angola
In office 1985–1989
Preceded by	José Eduardo dos Santos
Succeeded by	P. Castro Van-Dúnem Loy
Ambassador of Angola to the UN
In office 1991–1999
Preceded by	Manuel Pedro Pacavira
Succeeded by	José Patrício
Personal details
Born	7 September 1941 Luanda, Angola
Died	14 November 2014(2014-11-14) (aged 73) Luanda, Angola
Spouse	Luzia Inglês Van-Dúnem

Career

While Van-Dúnem was Minister of External Relations, he helped to negotiate the agreement that led to the Cuban withdrawal from Angola and the South African withdrawal from Namibia, paving the way for Namibia's independence.^[2]

Personal life

Van-Dúnem married Luzia Inglês Van-Dúnem, an MPLA politician and women's rights activist; they had four children.^[3]

See also

• List of foreign ministers in 1989
• Foreign relations of Angola