UN launches US $263 million appeal

The United Nations on Monday asked for US $263 million to help Angola rebuild in 2004, urging international donors not to ignore the country as it tries to get back on its feet after three decades of war. "This is a crucial moment for Angola to lay down the basis for its own development for the future," Mario Ferrari, representative of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Angola, said at the launch of the appeal. "The wish of the world is that Angola stands alone but in the spirit of cooperation it must be helped to stand on its own two feet," he added. Donors and aid organisations said it was vital the Angolan government continue to do more to help its own people. "Angola needs help. I don't think anyone disputes that," said one western diplomat. "The only way to do that is to sustain the political support necessary for international engagement in Angola and of course for the Angolan government to be seen to be doing more for itself. Those two need to work in tandem." The donor community has shied away from giving development funding to oil and diamond rich Angola, arguing that the country should be wealthy enough to pay for its own reconstruction. It is alleged that mismanagement has resulted in billions of dollars disappearing from government coffers and Angola recently appeared in the top 10 of the world's most corrupt countries, according to a Transparency International survey. Last year's UN appeal for more than US $300 million was only 52 percent funded, and there were worries that this year's plea may fall on deaf ears as donors shift attention to more high profile crises such as the conflict in Iraq. "There is a certain amount of concern," said Susan Mills of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. "Will donors feel that the situation in Angola is still tenuous enough, that stabilisation is still insufficient, that there's still some major, major hardship? Will they feel that this is a transitional request that they wish to fund, or will they wish to see more of a demonstration of strength and capacity by the government? These are questions we're all asking." The 11 UN agencies and 33 national and international non-governmental organisations who drew up the appeal want to work with the government as Angola transitions from a three decade-long humanitarian emergency to a reconstruction phase. They are offering their skills and capacity to help the government lay the foundations for stability as well as strengthen its infrastructure, agricultural production, health and education services. "While much has been achieved to put an end to life-threatening situations faced by Angolans in recent last years, much more needs to be done to consolidate these gains," the UN said in its appeal document. "This appeal will serve to bridge the gap between emergency and recovery." But ultimately the government should increase its contribution to the stabilisation and rehabilitation process and donors will be eyeing the state budget closely for a shift in spending priorities to focus more on the social sector. "In terms of funding as well it is expected that the government will fund more and more of the projects and programmes," Ferrari said. The appeal for 2004, the bulk of which is for relief assistance, will go hand in hand with the government's framework for poverty reduction, national reconstruction and economic modernisation, due to be approved before the end of this year. "The challenge for the government is enormous and the tasks are innumerable," Joao Baptista Kussumua, minister for social reintegration, said at the launch of the appeal. "It is important that a good cooperation continues to be demonstrated ... between the United Nations system, the international community, national and international NGOs and our government," he said.