The consultancy Eurasia considered that the municipal elections in Angola, scheduled for 2023, should be postponed to allow the Government to capitalize on the results of the support measures provided for in the 2023 Budget. sure you will win. The scare they had this year, losing but winning, will not happen once more… if that depends on the MPLA.
AThus, according to Eurasia, “the authorities should probably postpone the municipal elections to 2024, at least, following they are scheduled for 2023, to give time for the measures to produce results”, write the analysts in a note on the General State Budget, implicitly recognizing that the OGE does not aim to improve the lives of Angolans but, only and only, to guarantee the maintenance of Power.
In the note, sent to customers, Eurasia says that “following a meager victory in the 2022 elections, the ruling party’s proposal points to a redirection of public spending towards the social area, while maintaining budgetary discipline ”.
In particular, Eurasia highlights the 30% increase in public spending in the Agriculture sector, seen as the main area in which Angola must invest in order to diversify its economy.
“This reflects the Government’s view that improving productivity in the sector is essential to increase economic growth and ensure voter support”, write the analysts, linking the postponement of municipal elections with the need to give Angolans time to feel the improvement in living conditions arising from the new OGE priorities for 2023.
“Following the slimmest victory of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in nearly 50 years in power, in August, the authorities are looking to increase spending on social services to increase popular support in the run-up to municipal elections; given the increase in the number and frequency of strikes in the public sector, including the judicial sector, doctors, nurses and teachers, MPLA officials are also trying to increase public spending to avoid potentially disruptive social unrest”, adds the analysis of Eurasia.
Analysts, moreover, consider that the elections will be postponed once more to 2024, at least, and point out that “the legislation that sets the date of the elections has not yet been approved”, in addition to also stressing that “it is still necessary to implement the legislation which created the provinces of Moxico and Cuando Cubango”.
On December 9, the Government delivered the proposal for the General State Budget to the National Assembly, forecasting a budget surplus.
“We bring a proposal for a surplus OGE, that is, with a positive overall balance of 0.9%, with this we are continuing the trajectory started in 2018 with budget balances without a deficit”, said the Minister of State for Economic Coordination of Angola.
Manuel Nunes Júnior, who was speaking at the seat of Parliament, where he delivered the 2023 State Budget proposal, which estimates revenues and sets expenses of 20.1 billion kwanzas (38.3 billion euros), said that the instrument should maintain the trajectory of the country’s economic growth.
The 2023 OGE proposal will fundamentally fulfill two objectives, namely the “continuation of the country’s economic growth and the continuation of prudent budgetary management”.
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