Last April marked nine years since the signing of the peace treaty in Angola, and the progress made since the 2002 ceasefire has been nothing short of phenomenal. The country has matured and stayed on course towards reconstruction with the help of both its significant oil revenues and of international investments.
This evolution could not have come about if it weren’t for the government’s total commitment to development and its strong stance on eradicating corruption in the public sector. Though Angola still faces many challenges in terms of fighting poverty, diversifying its economy and rebuilding infrastructure destroyed during the 27-year conflict, the African Development Bank recently described it as “a thriving country with a booming economy and legitimate aspirations to play a preeminent role in Africa.”
| After nearly 36 years of independence and only nine years of peace, Angola is repositioning itself as a major economic player in the region, under the leadership of President dos Santos. |
Angola’s former Minister of Foreign Relations, Assunçao Afonso dos Anjos, affirmed in a September 2009 speech in New York that the West African country has turned itself around under rather challenging circumstances, saying there were “three extremely difficult transitions that Angola had to undergo almost simultaneously: transition from war to peace, the transition from a concentrated economy to a market economy, and the transition from a one-state party to a democratic and multilateral regime.”
The government managed to get spiraling inflation under control while growing the gross domestic product (GDP). Nevertheless, Afonso dos Anjos noted that these steps were means to a greater end. “Economic growth has never been seen by us as an end in itself but as a means to reach higher levels of human development.”
Of course, robust economic growth, reforms, anti-corruption laws, and not to mention vast natural resources, have also made of Angola an attractive destination for both private foreign investors and foreign financial institutions and governments. Various countries including China, Portugal, Brazil, Russia, Germany and the United States have opened credit lines in response to Angola reaching international credit standards. The Paris Club and the International Monetary Fund are also working closely with Angola, helping the nation rebuild itself.
Thanks to international collaborations and partnerships, Angola is building up a strong infrastructure base, from roads, ports and airports to telecommunications, housing, city planning and water networks.
Under a ‘new era’ of political, social and economic affairs set out by the new Constitution approved in 2010, President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and his administration remain committed to building a fairer and balanced society where human and economic development grow hand in hand. And with the U.S. as a formally recognized strategic partner, Angola is on the right path towards building a brighter future.
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