UN urges govt to lead recovery efforts

In the wake of a brutal civil war, Angola has some of the worst living conditions in the world. However, aid agencies are hopeful that peace would usher in unparalleled opportunities in the oil-producing country. A recent UN study painted a grim picture of the country, which was devastated by 27 years of war. More than 60 percent of the population live below the poverty line, which is equivalent to US $1.68 a day, and life expectancy remains 42 years. Almost a third of Angolans are displaced, internally or across the country's borders as refugees. In addition, the country has the second highest mortality rate in the world for children below the age of five, after Sierre Leone. The report said that although the need for external aid was recognised, the government would have to take the lead in the country's reconstruction. The UN, donors and NGOs operating in the country would complement these efforts. The assessment titled, "Angola - Challenges after the war", conducted jointly by UN agencies between September 2001 and June 2002, was intended to provide a strategic vision for the UN agencies working in the country. "The report is a realistic assessment of the current situation and while there are definite challenges ahead there is also huge potential," United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Deputy Resident Representative Steven Kinglock, told IRIN. The study pointed out that malaria was the predominant cause of death among children and adults, in addition to being one of the main causes of poor health and depression, and having a profound effect on family income. However, it cautioned that HIV/AIDS, due to its rapid spread, could eventually become the single largest killer. The report also highlighted the desperate plight of the country's children. "About half of primary school-age children are not enrolled in school, mainly because of financial constraints, but in some cases because many do not have birth certificates or there are no school places available," the study found. The report argued for increased rights protection for the millions of internally displaced persons (IDPs), saying many IDPs were too "afraid and preoccupied with day-to-day survival to assert their rights". Kinglock said the UNDP was working closely with NGOs to increase civil society's participation in public affairs. But while the humanitarian caseload was expected to increase in the short-term, the study remained optimistic about the country's potential to increase its level of oil production in the next few years. "Although oil production (running at over 900,000 barrels per day in early 2002) is forecast to remain quite stable until 2005, it will then rise rapidly, probably reaching more than 1.9 million barrels per day by 2007 ... the projected increase in oil production over the medium-term will be large enough to turn the current account of the balance of payments from deficit into surplus and finance much of the country's reconstruction," the study noted. But while the war was definitely over, the country continued to face major threats, which if left unchecked "could have extremely damaging consequences, cancelling out the opportunities," the report noted. One of the key concerns was the mismanagement of public revenues. Earlier this month the BBC reported that an internal report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) found that nearly US $1 billion disappeared from Angolan government coffers last year. The report suggested that all revenues be channelled through the official approved budget. It said it was imperative that the government improve the business climate outside the oil sector. Public works programmes had proved to be a successful option in other countries recovering from war. The UN report also highlighted the risk of both the present and future generations reaching adulthood without basic skills of literacy and numeracy. The government was urged to make a significant investment in education. It was also crucial to sustained peace that the government create avenues for popular participation in public affairs. In the new post-war context, the report urged the holding of national elections in free and fair conditions.