Angola's Authoritarian Grip: A Country In Shackles

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-central coast of Southern Africa. It is a relatively stable constitutional republic with a multiparty system. However, the country has been characterised as increasingly authoritarian, with a recent slide from autocracy into totalitarianism under the rule of the MPLA and President João Lourenço.

The MPLA has been the ruling party since Angola's independence in 1975, and President Lourenço is the third president in the country's history. He was elected in 2017, promising to initiate a wide range of reforms, including curbing corruption and diversifying the economy away from oil dependence. However, critics argue that these promises have not been fulfilled, with some liberalising moves being reversed, and the country's power structure remaining largely unchanged.

In January 2024, the Angolan parliament passed a controversial national security bill that centralises control in the presidency and allows for measures such as internet shutdowns and warrantless searches. This has been interpreted as a mechanism for the regime to maintain its grip on power, with some arguing that it marks a shift towards totalitarianism.

Angola's political system

The country's government is composed of executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Political power has been concentrated in the presidency for decades, and there is no de facto separation of powers. The president controls all other organs of the state and has the prerogative to appoint key officials, including the attorney general, presiding judges, and deputy presiding judges of the highest courts.

The ruling party, the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), has been in power since the country's independence in 1975. The MPLA selects the country's president, who is also the leader of the party. The MPLA has been accused of ensuring its dominance in government and state institutions, with the ability to approve or block any legislation or policy that does not advance its interests.

Angola has a multiparty system, but opposition parties have little say in parliament. The country's first president, José Eduardo dos Santos, governed for 38 years until 2017, when he was succeeded by João Lourenço, the current president. Despite Lourenço's initial promises of reform, including curbing corruption and diversifying the economy, his flagship policies have stalled, and some of his liberalising moves have been reversed. As a result, Angola's authoritarian political system has remained largely unchanged.

In recent years, there have been concerns about the country's slide towards totalitarianism, with the passing of a controversial national security law that centralises power in the presidency and allows for measures such as internet shutdowns and warrantless searches. This has raised fears of increasing repression and control by the government.

The economy

Angola's economy is heavily influenced by the effects of the four decades of conflict in the last part of the 20th century, namely the war for independence from Portugal and the subsequent civil war. Since 2002, when the civil war ended, government policy has prioritised the repair and improvement of infrastructure and the strengthening of political and social institutions. During the first decade of the 21st century, Angola's economy was one of the fastest-growing in the world, with reported annual average GDP growth of 11.1% from 2001 to 2010. This growth was driven by high international oil prices and rising oil production, although it was accompanied by high inequality.

Angola's economy remains heavily dependent on the oil sector, which in 2017 accounted for over 90% of exports by value and 64% of government revenue. However, with the end of the oil boom, Angola entered a period of economic contraction from 2015 onwards. Oil production fell short of expectations in the first half of 2023, leading to a downward revision of economic growth for that year to 0.8%. Lower-than-expected oil exports and high debt service payments reduced the supply of foreign currency, triggering a 40% currency depreciation in May-June.

Angola's dependence on the oil sector has increased its vulnerability to external shocks and undermined macroeconomic stability. The strong real exchange rate appreciation has stunted the non-oil economy and limited economic diversification and job creation. While new oil projects could increase oil production in the coming years, it will be difficult for the sector to avoid long-term decline due to oil depletion and lack of investment.

Angola needs to urgently invest in removing barriers to private sector investment to achieve economic diversification, support growth, create jobs, and reduce poverty. With its abundant agricultural and arable land and favourable climatic conditions, agriculture is the sector with the highest potential to drive this diversification. Nonetheless, Angola will need to build climate resilience as its exposure to extreme climatic events is expected to increase water scarcity, raise temperatures, and extend dry seasons, hurting agricultural productivity.

Despite its abundant natural resources, output per capita in Angola is among the world's lowest. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population, and a third of the population relies on it. Oil production and supporting activities are vital to the economy, contributing about 45% to GDP and 90% of exports. Control of the oil industry is consolidated under the Sonangol Group, a conglomerate owned by the Angolan government.

Angola has the potential to develop other sectors such as mining, agriculture, and fisheries, but it has struggled to attract foreign investment due to corruption, human rights violations, and diamond smuggling. The country is the third-largest producer of diamonds in Africa, yet it has only explored 40% of its diamond-rich territory.

The construction industry is taking advantage of the growing economy, with various housing projects stimulated by the government, such as the Angola Investe and Casa Feliz or Meña projects. However, not all public construction projects are functional, as evidenced by the satellite town of Luanda, Kilamba Kiaxi, which remained uninhabited for years due to skyrocketing prices.

Overall, while Angola's economy has shown potential, particularly in the oil sector, it remains vulnerable to external shocks and is heavily dependent on natural resources. The country needs to diversify its economy, attract foreign investment, and build climate resilience to promote sustainable economic growth and reduce poverty.

The media

The Angolan media landscape is dominated by state-owned outlets, with only four privately-owned newspapers remaining in print since the advent of multiparty politics in 1992. The most popular newspaper, Jornal de Angola, and the television service TPA are both state-owned and rarely criticise the government. State-run Radio Nacional de Angola (RNA) is the only outlet to offer programmes in indigenous languages, such as Bantu, and is the only broadcaster with near-national coverage. Private stations operate in cities, including Catholic Radio Ecclesia, but RNA's coverage extends far beyond that of any other broadcaster.

The constitution provides for freedom of expression, but laws on state security and defamation impede free journalism, according to US-based Freedom House. Self-censorship is commonplace, and independent journalists are regularly monitored and harassed by state agents.

Online content remains uncensored and unrestricted, but the government has increasingly called for the regulation of social media. Former president José Eduardo dos Santos enacted a set of new media laws in 2017, which enable the government to control and censor critical information online. These laws also created the Angolan Regulatory Body for Social Communication (ERCA), which has the power to regulate journalists' conduct and investigate online content producers without judicial oversight. ERCA can also suspend or ban websites that fail to abide by its standards of "good journalism".

There were no reported restrictions on internet freedom during the 2017 elections, but automated bots were among the top influencers on social media during this period. Despite the state's monopolistic control of traditional media, the internet remains the main outlet for critics and opposition parties.

Internet and mobile phone penetration in Angola is low, hindered by high costs and poor infrastructure. Senior government officials have direct and indirect shareholder participation in many Angolan ICT companies, providing the government with some level of control over the sector.

The judiciary

Angola's judiciary is made up of municipal and provincial courts at the trial level, and a Supreme Court at the appellate level. The Supreme Court nominates provincial court judges, while the judge of the provincial court, along with two laymen, acts as a jury.

The 1991 constitution was amended to guarantee an independent judiciary. However, in practice, the president appoints the 16 Supreme Court judges for life, upon the recommendation of an association of magistrates, and he also appoints the attorney general.

> The judiciary is not independent in Angola. As one Angolan jurist put it, the judiciary is hostage to the executive.

Human rights

Angola has long been criticised for its human rights record. While the country's constitution and law prohibit discrimination based on race, gender, religion, disability, language, or social status, the government has failed to enforce these prohibitions effectively.

Freedom of Assembly and Association

The right to freedom of assembly and association is routinely infringed upon in Angola. The authorities have frequently used excessive force to prevent or impede peaceful demonstrations, with protesters being arbitrarily arrested, detained, or even unlawfully killed. In one instance, the police prevented a vigil from taking place in the capital, Luanda, and in Benguela, citing public security concerns. On another occasion, the police stopped a protest by activists calling for the release of an activist who had been arrested for "outraging the state, its symbols, and organs".

Excessive Use of Force

The use of excessive force by the police and security forces is a significant issue in Angola. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have documented cases of police brutality, arbitrary arrests, and unlawful killings. In one instance, the police confirmed that a 16-year-old boy, Serginho, had been shot and killed by a police officer during a protest, despite not participating in the demonstration.

Media Freedom

Media freedom is also restricted in Angola. The government has been accused of using draconian media laws to limit the work of journalists, with cases of criminal defamation complaints and harassment of journalists. The reduction in the number of private television stations further limits media freedom in the country.

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Angola faces challenges in ensuring economic, social, and cultural rights for its citizens. There have been reports of underpayment and non-payment of salaries for teachers, as well as disputes over working conditions and promotion prospects. Additionally, the severe drought in the southern region has severely impacted access to food and health, particularly for children.

Rights of Persons with Disabilities

While Angola has ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, its approach to disability has been criticised as falling short of international standards.

LGBTQ+ Rights

In a positive development, Angola decriminalised homosexuality in 2019, and the new penal code protects the rights of individuals in same-sex relationships. However, there is still a small underground LGBTQ+ community in Luanda, facing harassment and a lack of advocacy.

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