In an article published on the South African Security Studies Institute website, the researcher says that "so far the actions taken are insufficient to keep the country safe", but points out that there is still time to change course and define the legacy that João Lourenço will leave.
"Angola, like many other African countries, is facing seemingly insurmountable challenges," says the researcher, pointing to the fall in prices of raw materials, particularly oil, the covid-19 pandemic and the very significant drop in revenue that makes it very difficult to meet financial commitments and, at the same time, the implementation of social programs to combat the effects of the pandemic.
"The government is under widespread criticism from civil society because of the tough approach taken by the security forces and the lack of solutions for the people who have no food; many have chosen to challenge the restrictions, preferring to die of the disease rather than starve", writes the analyst, adding that the replacement of the Health Minister by a general, as part of the government reshuffle in early April, "was interpreted as a need to align allies politically, rather than seeking qualified people to help define a response to the crisis and a recovery plan".
Among the mistakes in managing the pandemic, Paula Cristina Roque points to the provision of 420 million dollars to help 1.6 million families, but without information on how people will benefit from the programme, a 118 million dollars loan to buy a plane for TAAG and the militarisation of isolation.
"As a 'securitized' state, the surveillance and intelligence services would be better used to map the contagions [of pandemic transmission]," the analyst argues, "solving these crises will require the kind of leadership that is transformational, honest and courageous," and concluding that "despite the failures so far, the President can still correct the strategy.
