Enabling Authoritarianism: How China and Russia Undermine Democracy’s Potential in Angola

About the Event

Following Angola’s adoption of multiparty elections in 1992 and the end of its civil war in 2002, the country appeared headed for democratic consolidation. More than two decades later, however, Angola remains mired in kleptocratic rule. In his presentation, Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Florindo Chivucute will examine how the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia have contributed to this outcome, deploying tools typically framed as development assistance or bilateral cooperation that, in practice, reinforce executive dominance, weaken institutional oversight, and erode public accountability. Drawing on comparative insights from other regions, Chivucute will show how autocratization unfolds—not through abrupt institutional collapse, but through incremental, externally enabled corrosion. He will conclude with recommendations for how civil society can counter this trend.

His presentation will be followed by a discussion moderated by Kevin Sheives, Director of the International Forum for Democratic Studies at the National Endowment for Democracy. Caitlin Dearing Scott, Director of Strategy and Countering Foreign Authoritarian Influence at the International Republican Institute, will offer comments.

Speaker Bios

Florindo Chivucute is founding executive director of Friends of Angola, an organization dedicated to advancing democracy, human rights, and good governance in Angola and across Africa. He has led the design and implementation of several projects seeking to strengthen the capacity of civil society, empower women and youth, promote nonviolent civic engagement, digital surveillance awareness and democratic values in Angola and Central Africa. He initiated and led two international consortiums that wrote a successful Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act submissions, announced in 2021 by the U.S. government and in 2024 by the UK government. During his fellowship, Chivucute is investigating how China and Russia reinforce Angola’s kleptocratic political order through distinct yet complementary mechanisms that reduce domestic accountability pressures and undermine the effectiveness and integrity of the electoral process and the democratic institutions.

Caitlin Dearing Scott is director of Countering Foreign Authoritarian Influence and Strategy at IRI’s Center for Global Impact, where she spearheads global initiatives to bolster democratic resilience against authoritarian interference, particularly from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Kremlin. Her work focuses on developing practical strategies and tools for civil society, journalists, academia, and policymakers to counter foreign authoritarian influence. She previously managed IRI's programs in Libya and Morocco, focusing on local governance, peacebuilding, conflict mitigation, and women’s political participation. Prior to IRI, she served as senior vice president of research, programs, and policy at the Moroccan American Center.

Kevin Sheives serves as the director of the International Forum for Democratic Studies, the research and ideas hub of the National Endowment for Democracy. Kevin oversees NED’s intellectual engagement on the issues of democracy, authoritarianism, and strategic forecasting. Kevin served nearly fifteen years in the U.S. government with the State Department’s China Desk and East Asia and Pacific Affairs bureau. He also served in short-term roles at the U.S. Trade Representative’s office, Department of Defense, and the U.S. House of Representatives. With long-standing expertise on China, his writings have appeared in War on the Rocks, The Diplomat, Asia Nikkei, the Journal of Democracy, and the International Forum’s platforms. Follow him on X or LinkedIn, or perhaps find him on the baseball diamond and tennis courts with his two children and wife.

Additional speakers to be announced.