Savimbi had been financed and armed by apartheid South Africa and the USA since Angola gained its independence from Portugal in 1974. For over 25 years he had destabilised Angola which had refused to allow Western companies access to its diamonds and oil.
By 1994, the Angolan government had allowed USA oil companies concessions to newly discovered off-shore oil fields. Savimbi lost his backing from the USA and was encouraged to make peace. When he refused one USA diplomat commented "The trouble with puppets is that they don't always jerk when you pull the strings".
Eventually, the Angolan government finds and kills Savimbi after receiving satellite intelligence from the USA.
