Angola's Political Development: Historical Challenges And Future Prospects

Angola's political development has been hindered by a combination of factors, including a history of colonial rule, internal conflicts, economic challenges, and issues with governance.

Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975, but the transition was tumultuous, with three armed liberation movements vying for power. This led to a protracted civil war that lasted until 2002 and caused significant destruction and loss of life. The civil war also exacerbated existing economic inequalities and social divisions, with the majority of the population living in poverty.

Angola's economy is heavily reliant on oil exports, which has made it vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil demand and prices. High levels of corruption and a lack of economic diversification have further contributed to economic instability and inequality.

The country's political landscape is dominated by the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), which has been in power since independence. The MPLA has been accused of suppressing dissent, manipulating elections, and failing to address the country's economic and social challenges effectively. Opposition parties and civil society groups have faced restrictions and repression, limiting their ability to bring about change.

Additionally, Angola has struggled with issues such as a lack of infrastructure, inadequate social services, and human rights abuses by security forces. The country also has a low literacy rate compared to its neighbouring countries.

Lack of economic diversification

Angola's economy is heavily dependent on the oil sector, which has led to volatile growth and high levels of poverty and inequality. This dependence on a single industry has hindered economic diversification and job creation, with 80% of employed individuals working in the informal sector. The lack of economic diversification is partly due to the challenges posed by the oil sector's boom-and-bust market cycles, which make it difficult for other sectors to compete.

The oil industry's wealth creation has also contributed to the high cost of doing business in Angola, making it challenging for private investors to consider non-oil sectors. This has further hindered economic diversification and job creation, as private investment is crucial for supporting economic growth and transformation.

To address these issues, Angola has implemented reforms over the past five years to improve macroeconomic management and public sector governance. Additionally, the government has recognised the need to remove barriers to private sector investment and has made efforts to strengthen the non-oil economy. These include providing technical assistance to the energy sector and supporting the transition to a more market-oriented, competitive agriculture sector.

However, despite these efforts, Angola's economy remains heavily reliant on the oil sector. Diversification remains a challenge, and there is a continued need to create more jobs and improve overall economic growth. The country's development partners, such as the World Bank, are supporting these efforts by promoting integrated national economic diversification, particularly in rural economies, to enhance competitiveness and employment opportunities.

Political repression

Angola has struggled to develop politically due to political repression, which has been a significant barrier to genuine democratization. The ruling party, the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), has dominated political, administrative, and state security institutions since the country's independence in 1975. While Angola operates as a multi-party democracy, in practice, it functions as a dominant-party regime with significant authoritarian characteristics.

The MPLA has taken measures to secure its power, including manipulating the composition of courts and the electoral commission, using state resources for campaigning, and controlling media coverage. These actions have led to a lack of trust in democratic institutions and political leadership among the population.

Additionally, the MPLA has a history of suppressing dissent and has been accused of human rights abuses, including excessive use of force, intimidation, and arbitrary detention of peaceful protesters and activists. The party has also been implicated in restricting freedom of expression and assembly, with members of the public and security forces attacking and intimidating journalists.

The MPLA's dominance has hindered economic diversification and job creation, with Angola remaining heavily dependent on oil revenues. Despite introducing some economic reforms, President João Lourenço has made limited progress in addressing the country's deep economic crisis, and austerity measures have disproportionately affected the poorest segments of the population.

The postponement of local elections and the controversial 2022 general elections, in which the MPLA retained power, have further eroded public trust in democratic institutions. To facilitate genuine progress toward democracy, Angola needs to engage in constructive dialogue with opposition forces, open up its electoral and judicial processes, and conduct meaningful decentralization.

Poor infrastructure

Angola's infrastructure has been devastated by extensive warfare, which has left millions of landmines in the country. The transportation sector has been particularly affected, with roads, railways, and bridges severely damaged. More than 60% of the paved road network is in need of repair, and the Angolan government estimates that it will take 10-15 years to restore the road network to its pre-war state. However, this is contingent on an end to the fighting, without which the reconstruction of road infrastructure will take significantly longer.

The lack of infrastructure is a major hindrance to Angola's economic development. The road, railway, and bridge networks are essential for connecting the country's main cities and facilitating the transportation of goods. The poor condition of roads and railways has also made it difficult for manufacturers to import the roughly 40% of inputs that are sourced from outside the country.

Angola's ports are also in a state of disrepair and are unable to keep up with the demands of international trade. The Port of Luanda, the country's main gateway for international trade, has been plagued by serious congestion issues, with traffic volumes increasing more than tenfold in recent years. This has resulted in handling constraints and long delays, causing traffic to increasingly divert to the Port of Walvis Bay in Namibia, over 2,000 kilometers away.

The country's power infrastructure is similarly fragmented and unreliable, with three major electric systems that are not interconnected. Angola's power production costs are relatively high compared to neighboring countries, and tariffs are among the lowest in Africa, resulting in a dire financial situation for the power sector. The hidden costs of Angola's power sector are among the worst on the continent, amounting to about 400% of revenues.

Overall, Angola's infrastructure challenges have hindered its economic growth and development. However, the country has demonstrated a strong commitment to financing the reconstruction and expansion of its infrastructure, with recent investments in power generation, road rehabilitation, port improvements, and urban water systems.

Corruption

Angola has struggled to develop politically due to a variety of factors, including the long-lasting effects of a 30-year civil war, the influence of a Soviet command economy, and institutional corruption. This response will focus on the corruption aspect.

Angola has been plagued by institutional corruption, with a long history of corrupt practices within the government and public institutions. The country's former president, José Eduardo dos Santos, has been accused of creating one of the most corrupt countries in Africa. During his time in office from 1979 to 2017, Santos was accused of prioritizing personal gain over the needs of citizens, exploiting the country's oil wealth to accumulate massive fortunes for himself and his family. This systemic corruption was enabled by the concentration of power in the executive branch, with weak legislative and judicial checks and balances.

The aftermath of the civil war and the influence of the Soviet command economy resulted in significant institutional damage. This led to the emergence of a centralized government with authoritarian tendencies, allowing the president and his associates to exert control over the nation's resources. The lack of transparency and accountability measures further exacerbated the corruption within the country.

The government has made some efforts to combat corruption, introducing reforms related to revenue and budget transparency. However, Angola's overall legal and institutional anti-corruption framework remains inadequate, with weak enforcement of anti-corruption laws. The country has also faced challenges in establishing truly independent control agencies with the capacity to investigate and prosecute corruption effectively.

International institutions and foreign legal systems have played a role in mitigating Angolan corruption, particularly in cases where illicit funds are transferred overseas. However, the complexity of international financial systems and the involvement of tax havens can hinder the effectiveness of these efforts.

Despite the challenges, there are some signs of progress. The current president, João Lourenço, has made fighting corruption a key part of his agenda. He has removed corrupt actors from high-level positions and initiated legal proceedings against them. Additionally, the country has seen some improvements in its ranking on the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, indicating a gradual reduction in corruption levels.

In conclusion, corruption has been a significant obstacle to Angola's political development. The country has struggled to establish effective anti-corruption measures and institutions, but recent efforts by the current administration offer some hope for the future.

Lack of democratic institutions

Angola has struggled to develop politically due to a lack of democratic institutions. Since its independence from Portugal in 1975, Angola has been ruled by the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), which has been in power for almost five decades.

The MPLA introduced a multiparty system in 1991 and adopted a new constitution in 2010, but these efforts were limited in scope and impact. The 2010 constitution grants the President almost absolute power, and the MPLA has maintained control over the country's political institutions, including the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.

The concentration of power in the presidency and the lack of democratic institutions have contributed to high levels of corruption, economic inequality, and limited political freedoms in Angola. The MPLA has been accused of widespread corruption, including embezzlement of funds from state-owned companies and banks, particularly in the oil sector.

Additionally, the MPLA's policies have failed to translate the country's resource wealth, particularly from oil exports, into broad gains in overall prosperity. Instead, wealth has become concentrated in the hands of politically connected individuals, leading to social unrest and anti-government protests.

The opposition party, the Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), has gained support in recent years, but its attempts to challenge election results have been rejected by the Constitutional Court, which is composed of justices appointed by MPLA presidents.

The lack of democratic institutions and the concentration of power in the executive branch have hindered political development in Angola, contributing to social and economic challenges in the country.

Frequently asked questions