UNICEF Angola: pandemic threatens achievements in protecting children and vulnerable people

Ivan Yerovi, who was speaking at a roundtable on the impact of covid-19 on the 2022 OGE proposal, underlined that 65 percent of the Angolan population are children and youth and that the achievement of goals regarding their rights and protection it may be at risk if an inclusive economic recovery is not ensured, which requires commitment from all partners.

"Investing in children is investing in the present and the future", highlighted the head of the United Nations International Emergency Fund for Children (Unicef, in its English acronym), stressing the importance of investing in the social sectors of the 2022 OGE.

Ivan Yerovi also expressed the wish that the process of discussing the document could consider an increase in expenditure in the health and education sectors, increasing its percentage weight in the OGE, as well as the inclusion of social cash transfer programs for children under five years, in the Valor Criança line.

Secretary of State for Budget and Public Investment, Aia-Eza da Silva, agreed that the pandemic poses "an enormous risk" of ruining the great gains already made in the last decade, in terms of the protection of children and more vulnerable due to the current crisis.

Therefore, a significant part of the expenditure is directed towards strengthening the budget in the social sector, with an emphasis on health.

He also noted that, in real terms, the budget as a whole suffered a significant decrease, because the country is "much poorer", a reality that "does not go hand in hand with what is happening with the social sector, which still has the largest share of the budget and with an increasing trend".

He highlighted, on the other hand, that it is useless for countries to be prudent if they do not take global measures: "Either there is a global decision to save humanity or else all efforts will be vanished" taking into account the inequality in access to vaccination between countries, made more visible with the appearance of Omicron.

About next year, in which the executive forecasts a 2 percent growth in GDP, she foresees that the difficulties will continue due to the fluctuation in oil prices.

Another risk for the execution of the OGE, and which is also related to the pandemic, is the rise in the prices of 'commodities' (raw materials) at a global level, a "disruption at a global level", the impact of which is expected to be mitigated with the lowering or suspension of customs duties.