Democratic and development processes in Angola and Southern Africa, research project report, 2004-2009

This report is situated within a process of research, reflection and publication on democratisation and development in Angola and in Southern Africa. It was begun in September 2004 by the Catholic University of Angola and the University of Coimbra, and has resulted in three international conferences (Luanda, August 2004; Luanda, September 2008; Brussels, November 2009) and publication of three books: “The Process of Transition to Multi-party Politics in Angola” - O Processo de Transição para o Multipartidarismo em Angola (Luanda 2006, 2007 & 2008); “Civil Society and Politics in Angola, regional and international context” - Sociedade Civil e Política em Angola, enquadramento regional e internacional (Luanda 2008 & 2009); “Southern Africa - civil society, politics and donor strategies” (Brussels 2009). In dealing with a long term project which is not only academic and scientific, but also deals with activism and civic advocacy, the two universities, together with the Dutch University of Wageningen which joined the process, decided to take the discussion and reflection to one of the principal international donors centres, to the European Parliament in Brussels, where they organised a new conference and a new book, Southern Africa: civilian society, politics, development and donor strategies (Brussels, European Parliament, November 17 2009), which widened the scope to include analysis of donor strategies. The methodology adopted in this process (conferences and books) aims to stimulate extended discussion, reflection and action on the issues being analysed, not only nor principally bringing academics together, but also members of so-called civil society organisations (CSOs), and activists, as well as politicians, Church members and other contributors, whose input is considered relevant to the discussion. To incorporate and support the work of the new international Brussels conference, the organisers considered it important to prepare a progress report for this long project, placing special emphasis on the issues discussed in the two last conferences in Luanda. In conference panel analysis from 2004 & 2008, we find several issues that represent serious constraints to civil society (CS) action and the processes of democratisation and development: constraints to media activity by those in power; deficiencies within the justice system, in the defence and respect for human rights; authoritarianism; weaknesses in relations to organisations of the international community; clientelistic management of the political system and its negative impact on development and equitable access to State resources. Perhaps surprisingly, we also found much similarity between the problems encountered at these levels in Angola and those of several southern African countries analysed in the second conference (2008), highlighting a need for more comparative studies on the political and economic relation in the region. This report is divided in three parts, corresponding to three international conferences and three books. It deals with the key points of each event and publication.Nederlands Embassy in Angola, ICCO, ADRA-Angola, Christian Aid, Oxfam-Novi