Women gathering water - Angola. © Thomas Havisham (Panos)
The Secretary of State has announced a review of the DFID Bilateral Aid Programme. The information on this page reflects current activity and is not an indication of the direction or possible outcome of the review.
Decades of conflict have taken a heavy toll on Angola’s economy, society and infrastructure, and it is now faced with the enormous challenge of rebuilding. Since the Luena Peace Accord was signed in 2002, ending the 27-year civil war, the government has committed substantial resources to reconstruction, resettlement and development.
Despite the world financial crisis, Angola remains one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. It is now a lower middle income country and beginning to make some gains against the MDGs. However, the starting point is low and poverty is widespread.
High income inequality makes it difficult for economic growth to reach the poor. More than half the population live in extreme poverty (living on less than $1.25 a day) and rates of maternal mortality and under-five mortality are amongst some of the highest in the world. Governance challenges and capacity constraints challenge the delivery of government’s commitments on basic service delivery and poverty reduction.
Parliamentary elections were held in September 2008 and took place with no major incidents. The ruling MPLA party won 82% of the vote, securing 191 places out of 220 in the Angolan parliament.
