 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Democracy and Governance in Angola
In FY 2003, Angolans continued their ground-breaking transition toward
national reconciliation and a lasting peace that will firmly place the country on the path to recovery,
reconstruction, and development. While much has been achieved to put an end to life-threatening
situations faced by millions of Angolans during the 27 year civil war, much more needs to be done to
consolidate these gains over the next year. At the same time, reintegration and recovery efforts need
strengthening to pave the way for the re-establishment of the social, political and economic life of the
country. To achieve these goals during 2004, the United States will work with the Government of the
Republic of Angola and other partners to address remaining emergency needs, while complementing
government efforts to improve living conditions. This includes supporting the resumption of productive
activities and providing access to social services in resettlement and return areas. During 2003, over 3.8
million war-affected persons resettled or returned to their areas of origin. Hundreds of thousands of
persons remain temporarily resettled, and 350,000 refugees are still in neighboring countries. While there
seems to be greater political tolerance, many Angolans, despite the growing demand for greater political
participation, remain disenfranchised.
Angola’s economy continues to grow, but overall performance is below potential because of weak
physical infrastructure, poor economic policy, and continued corruption at all levels of society. High
inflation, a misaligned exchange rate, under-investment by the government in social sectors, a large fiscal
deficit, and vast unrecorded expenditures in a shadow economy are major factors in macroeconomic
destabilization. With national elections expected in 2005, the country’s fledgling civil society organizations
are engaging political leaders and the public in constructive dialogue about the country’s future. As people
return to their farmlands and engage in economically productive activities, successes in securing property
rights and resources for infrastructure development will make a crucial difference in their ability to
generate income and gain a solid foothold in the national economy. Continued investments in Angola’s
people at this crucial stage are key to help build a democratically governed, politically stable country that
protects the rights of its citizens and promotes their health and economic vitality.
To address the development challenges in Angola, USAID is requesting FY 2004
and FY 2005 funding to support a program consisting of four objectives: 1) improving food security with a
focus on smallholder agriculture; 2) advocating democratic reform; 3) improving maternal and child health
and decreasing the incidence of HIV/AIDS; and 4) promoting economic reform. The food security
objective includes distributing improved seed varieties and fostering the growth of local seed production,
providing agricultural extension services to train farmers in new technologies, developing agricultural
marketing strategies, and increasing micro-agricultural credit. Under the democracy objective, FY 2004
and FY 2005 funds will be used to support and strengthen civil society coalitions, promote independent
media, encourage transparent and accountable governance, secure land tenure rights, ensure free and
fair electoral processes, and mitigate community level conflicts. Funding for the health objective will help
improve the capacity of institutions and communities to provide services for maternal and child health and
expand HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Under its reactivated economic reform objective, USAID will
support economic policy reform, limited support to private sector development through business
development activities, and increased access to credit for micro, small and medium enterprises in 2004
and 2005. USAID will work with international and local non-governmental organizations in public-private
partnerships, including ongoing work with ChevronTexaco and ESSO.
(Excerpted from the 2005 Congressional Budget Justification for Angola)
Back to Top ^
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
