Angola
Overview
Angola's low level of human development is at odds with its potential for economic prosperity, evident in the country's wealth of natural resources. Much of this paradox is explained by the social disruption and physical destruction generated by 27 years of civil war. Angola is continuing the transition toward national reconciliation and peace that was begun in earnest in 2002 and was significantly advanced in September 2008 by successful National Assembly elections. As a potential powerhouse for regional trade and investment, Angola-which is already sub-Saharan Africa's second largest oil producer and the sixth largest source of U.S. imported oil-has tremendous agricultural resources and the potential to recover its status as an agricultural exporter and make an important contribution to regional growth and stability. To help the country realize its potential, USAID focuses on strengthened democratic governance, economic opportunity, and essential social services delivery. USAID has ten public-private partnerships that co-fund USAID activities.
Programs
Governing Justly and Democratically
Good governance is the linchpin of USAID's programs in Angola. Every activity, including those to improve the delivery of health care and to expand economic growth, seeks to improve transparency and accountability. USAID is strengthening the vertical linkages among different levels of government in Angola-enhancing system reform at the national level, boosting key social services and economic inputs at the community level, and as resources allow, improving budgeting and planning, supervision, information, procurement, and other intra-governmental systems that might improve service delivery. Initiatives also seek to increase economic opportunity and improve transparency, accountability, and participation, and they target groups such as political parties, government institutions, local governments, communities, electoral bodies, civil society organizations, and the media. In addition, USAID is supporting the electoral process, civil society engagement, and efforts to consolidate peace.
Economic Growth
USAID activities improve both the macro-economic and micro-economic environments. At the macro level, USAID is complementing efforts of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the European Commission to help build the capacity of the Ministry of Finance to manage the national budget in a more effective, open, and transparent manner. USAID also supports the Catholic University's independent economic think tank to stimulate dialogue on issues of national concern. At the micro level, USAID supports people-focused and system-focused efforts to increase access to productive resources, especially finance and property rights. To create impact in the short term, USAID is supporting the Agriculture Development and Finance Program, which is activating the value chain-from production through processing, transport, and marketing-for selected agricultural products. The program places a special emphasis on linking banana and coffee farmers and entrepreneurs to sources of credit, inputs, and markets. To promote systemic reform and ensure sustained economic growth, USAID works with Angola's Central Bank and commercial banks on financial sector reforms including policies, procedures, and capacity-building that encourage commercial banks to expand their product offerings and increase their ability to lend to small and medium-sized borrowers. USAID also provides technical assistance to put in place new land registration regulations, and has introduced Junior Achievement, a program to bolster confidence and entrepreneurship among Angola's youth.
Investing in People
Angola was selected as one of the first three countries to participate in the President's Malaria Initiative to reduce malaria-related deaths by 50 percent in Africa's hardest-hit areas. Under the initiative, USAID is spraying, providing insecticide-treated bed nets, and distributing malaria treatment, especially to pregnant women and young children, who are most vulnerable to the scourge of malaria. USAID is also strengthening interventions to curb the spread and mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS, improving the quality of reproductive health programs, and is helping to eradicate polio through immunizations. To improve Angola's health care systems, USAID is supporting efforts to improve technical capabilities, bolster communities' ability to address social service needs to the government, and promote more productive interaction between the government and civil society.
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