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(2004/C 33 E/054)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0608/03

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(3 March 2003)

Subject:   Angola: Budget 2003 — Government's Economic and Social Programme for 2003/2004

In reply to question E-2862/02 (1) of 10 October 2002 on the same subject (by the author of the present question), the Commission, in the person of Commissioner Poul Nielsen, stated on 4 December 2002: As regards information on the implementation of the 2002 budget and the preparation of the 2003 budget, the lack of accurate and detailed information excludes a substantiated comment in this matter', especially as regards real social impact. He added, however, that the government's Economic and Social Programme for 2003/2004 ‘would, if implemented, mean an important improvement in social spending and a welcome matching of expenditure with the Community-financed rural rehabilitation programme in the central highlands’.

Meanwhile, time has passed and a new budget year has begun. Very recently, the EU and Angola signed the National Indicative Programme (involving, apparently, a sum in the region of EUR 200 m for the entire period covered), in which there is a clear reference to the option of a fund for the social sectors and the food safety/agricultural development sector.

Is the Commission in possession of data relating to the budgetary execution for 2002 and the preparation and execution of the first twelfth of the 2003 budget, especially with regard to social areas and tasks? Has the Commission monitored the execution of the government's Economic and Social Programme for 2003/2004? Does it have information at this stage on this programme's real contribution as regards resource allocation to the areas and tasks mentioned? What information and guarantees was Commissioner Nielson able to obtain during his visit to Angola at the end of January 2003?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(10 April 2003)

The situation regarding the availability and reliability of data on Angola has not noticeably improved in the last months.

The Commission does not have data relating to budget execution for 2002, as the Government has not published such figures. The same applies to figures for budget implementation for the first months of 2003. In the first phase of the 2003/2004 government transition plan, it is foreseen that social spending as a whole will overtake defence spending, forecast at 4,71 % of total public spending: education 7,16 % of total, health 5,06 %, social security 1,26 %, housing and community services 1,36 %.

The lack of official and/or reliable information makes it very difficult to follow developments in the country. It is in any case, almost impossible to monitor the execution of a government plan so soon after its inception.

The Community/Angola Co-operation Strategy 2002-2007 signed on 28 January 2003 does indeed foresee a concentration of Community support to the social sectors (health and education) and food security. A concentration on these sectors is envisaged in the medium to longer term. In the short to medium term, priority is given to funding the measures necessary to support the peace process and national reconciliation, including creating the conditions for free and fair elections. In this context it is worth mentioning that the strategy also foresees support to the National Institute of Statistics (INE) to increase its capacity and to improve the availability of statistical information on poverty in Angola.

During the visit of the Member of the Commission responsible for Development and Humanitarian Aid to Angola, at which the signing of the Co-operation Strategy took place, the Member of the Commission in meetings with government representatives underlined repeatedly the necessity of increased spending in social sectors as part of Angola's peace dividend. He stressed that the international community's contribution to the reconstruction of Angola could and should only complement, but never substitute the government's own efforts. The Member of the Commission pointed out that the international community expected that the end of the conflict should enable the government to assume a greater share of the burden of meeting the needs of its own people. This would also be seen as an important element in the context of the international donors' conference on the reconstruction of the country. The Member of the Commission was assured that the government was prepared to tackle the issue of poverty reduction and stronger support for the social sectors in the framework of the above mentioned programme as well as of a long-term development strategy up to the year 2025, which is currently under preparation. The Post-Conflict Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Programme the government is preparing with World Bank assistance and which will be presented at the donors' conference, should give a further insight into the government's intentions as regards the social sectors.

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(1)  See page 13.

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