World Bank pledges support for reconstruction

The World Bank (WB) on Thursday said it backed post-war reconstruction in Angola but emphasised the need for financial transparency. "The Bank is supportive of the government's economic recovery plans. However, it must be stressed that the transparent management of financial resources and combating corruption is crucial to any kind of reconstruction," WB spokeswoman in Luanda, Olinda Viera-Diaz, told IRIN. Viera-Diaz's comments followed a three-day visit by Calisto Madavo, the World Bank's vice-president for Africa to the oil-rich southern African country. Madavo told reporters in Luanda it was "encouraging" that it was President Jose Eduardo dos Santos who had raised the issue of clean government with him, the Portuguese news agency LUSA reported. Earlier this month the rights group Global Witness alleged that over the past five years, at least US $1 billion had gone missing each year from the government's coffers. The figure represented about one-third of state income. Viera-Diaz also said the Bank had noted the urgent need to assist former rebel UNITA soldiers and their families. "Following some very positive signs that the country is returning to stability, we expect to expand our presence in the country. We will continue to support the demobilisation and reintegration programme as well as the social action fund," she said. The social action fund is a community driven initiative which focuses on the building of schools, medical centres and community centres. The Bank said it would also assist the government with drawing up a poverty reduction strategy. "We will help as much as we can, but the government and people of Angola must take the responsibility for their full economic recovery," Viera-Diaz said.