FLORENCE MUTESASIRA on Angola’s progress and pitfalls as it emerges from its long civil war...
In 1975, Angola gained its independence from Portugal. But the war for independence had barely been won when the southern African country was plunged into a 27-year civil war between two power factions, the MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) and Unita (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola). Six years on from the end of the civil war, Angola is now moving towards rebuilding its economic, social and political structures. Much of the country’s infrastructure – roads, bridges, hospitals, schools – was destroyed during the war. A booming oil industry and diamond mining have helped Angola become one of the world’s fastest growing economies, with the rise in the price of oil in 2007 seeing Angola export nearly US$30bn worth of oil.
Since 2003, the Angolan government has embarked on an ambitious national reconstruction project to build schools, health centres, and housing projects. The capital Luanda is changing fast: new houses, apartments and high rise office blocks are springing up.
Roads are being constructed in Luanda and to the provinces, with construction mainly done by Chinese workers who are known for completing miles of road in record time.
Most of these developments are concentrated around the capital. In the rural areas, they are few and far apart. Most of the new health centres are without sufficient medical staff or supplies while the schools have barely enough teachers or learning facilities. Angola’s rebuilding story has also been dogged by continuous allegations of corruption, mismanagement and human rights abuses.
Corruption claims stem mainly from the government’s refusal to fully declare details of oil revenues. Though it has started publicising evidence of bonus payments received from oil companies, the government does not fully disclose how it spends these funds.
In addition, Angola’s economic boom is currently benefiting the elite alone. In a country earning billions from the oil trade, over 70 per cent of the population lives on less than $2 a day. This same 70 per cent are paying a high price for plans to reconstruct the nation.
Forced evictions have become one of the most controversial issues in Angola. In Luanda, for instance, millions of people moved to the city during the war, building homes on land wherever they could find it. Many of them have no formal title to the land, and by law it is owned by the government.
Unfortunately, as the plans to modernise Luanda are carried out, the land is bought by property companies, and people’s homes are demolished to make way for modern houses and apartments. According to Christian Aid partner SOS Habitat, more than 20,000 people were forcefully evicted from their homes between 2002 and 2006, many without due notice or compensation.
Civil society organisations in Angola play a vital role towards building a fair and democratic society and ensuring that the country’s wealth benefits all her citizens.
Among other things, they are the ones protecting the street children; de-mining areas that have not been reached; running adult literacy classes; informing local communities on how to protect their homes and how to go about getting their local administrators to ensure that national development reaches their communities.
Christian Aid has been working with local Angolan partners since 1985. Most of the local organisations Christian Aid supports are involved in lobbying and advocating for human rights in one way or another as this remains a key factor in Angola.
A key point on Angola’s path to reconstruction was the 5 September national assembly elections, its first in 16 years. Before the elections, the Angolan government announced that it wanted the elections to show Africa and the world that an African country can hold free, fair and peaceful elections.
Most of the Angolans I spoke to while I was in the country in early August expected the MPLA to win these elections. Some were even wary that if it did not, the reconstruction process that the current government had started would end, and they did not want this to happen.
However, the main concern remained that if Angola continued its path to development, at the expense of most of its citizens, it would not only be unsustainable, but may also result in future instability and crises.
Angola definitely has great potential and resources to be a model and significant player in the African region.
However, the government needs to put into place clear structures and policies that protect the interests of all its citizens as they plough ahead with rebuilding the country.
Florence Mutesasira is communications officer with Christian Aid. For more information concerning Christian Aid’s partners in Angola, visit www.christianaid.
