EU funds 5.8 million project to support civil society and local administration

Contributing to Angola's economic growth and social development through an inclusive, heterogeneous and effective participation of civil society in the governance process are some of the purposes of the project.

PASCAL, with an implementation period of 48 months, will initially be limited to 25 municipalities in the provinces of Benguela, Huambo, Huíla, Luanda and Malanje.

Improving the legislative, regulatory and institutional framework in terms of participatory governance, strengthening and increasing the participation of civil society in participatory governance platforms in municipalities are specific objectives of the project.

The EU-funded project will be implemented by the Spanish International and Ibero-American Foundation for Public Administration and Policy and the Lithuanian Central Project Management Agency.

According to the EU ambassador to Angola, Jeannette Seppen, the project "is aligned" with the objectives of the National Development Plan for Angola (2018-2022) and with the Strategic Plan for Territorial Administration.

"It follows the best monitoring practices with international indicators to select and compile data on the prosperity of municipalities and to monitor progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals", said the European diplomat, while speaking at the ceremony.

The logic of the project, noted Seppen, "sees the increase of civil participation and a more capable and capable society to increase collaboration in local governance, and with an effective way to achieve stable structures of coexistence and strengthening of democratic mechanisms".

On the other hand, the Secretary of State for Local Authorities of Angola, Márcio Daniel, said, on the occasion, that PASCAL is an initiative elaborated and structured jointly between the executive and the EU delegation in Angola.

The main objective of this project, stressed the official, "is to contribute constructively to ensure an inclusive, heterogeneous and effective participation of civil society in the governance process, in general, but with a greater focus on local governance".

Distinguished actors from civil society and civic organizations from various provinces participated in the official launching ceremony of PASCAL, which took place in Luanda, one of the five provinces where the project will be implemented.