Angola

Overview

The Luanda Leaks, a large cross-border journalist investigation of 2020, revealed the extent to which the Dos Santos kleptocracy, and in particular the former president’s daughter Isabel Dos Santos, is alleged to have robbed Angola of billions through a business empire of over 400 companies spread over 40 countries. Some estimates put the figure of Angolan assets stolen between 2002 and 2017 at USD 100 billion.

Endemic corruption has long been a major challenge in the country. The oil and mining sector in Angola are considered particularly high-risk areas, as gifts and facilitation payments are a common practice of doing business. Although bribery, illicit enrichment and conflict of interest are criminalised by the Probity Law, such offenses have rarely been prosecuted.

In Angola, corruption is a very high risk when dealing with certifications, licenses, permits or other public services. Bribes and irregular payments in connection with public utilities are among the highest in the world. Local administration formally exists but is underfunded, politicised and inefficient to such an extent that the delivery of basic services such as water, electricity, health, and education is inadequate, especially in peri-urban neighbourhoods and rural areas. Law enforcement officers frequently supplement their income through coercion and solicitation of kickbacks from the public.

Our Work in Angola

In Angola, only a few civil society organisations are specifically engaged in anti-corruption reform and capacity is lacking in work on assisting the freezing, seizure and confiscation of stolen assets. Very few groups have been consistent in addressing asset recovery in their communications and advocacy efforts. This is compounded by shrinking civic space, which is a real threat in Angola, and a widespread lack of transparency in the investigation and management of recovered assets. The independence of the judiciary is a further challenge.

Taking the overall context in account, our work in Angola started in 2021 with a clear focus on reaching out and partnering with key Angolan NGOs willing to become stronger actors in asset recovery and in creating government momentum for boosting asset recovery nationally.

Our main goal is to assist the incorporation of asset recovery into the work of these groups, bearing in mind the complexities involved in general and specifically in Angola. We work with civil society organisations to understand case scenarios, and to carefully assess their capacities to assist the State both in investigating stolen assets and in managing returned assets.

In order to achieve it, we are focused on:

• promoting a national civil society asset recovery strategy based on coalition building, training and awareness raising;

• supporting civil society and policy makers in better understanding the key challenges and reforms needed in the Angolan asset recovery framework;

• strengthening dialogue between NGOs and key institutions for ensuring transparency and accountability related to asset recovery;

• promoting knowledge and civil society strategic planning to advance international anti-corruption sanctions as a tool to advance asset recovery in Angola.

Latest research

Angola and the social reuse of assets

This report looks at the infrastructure monitoring action conducted around the Integrated Municipal Intervention Plan (PIIM). It was carried out with our support by our partner CSOs: Associação Mãos Livres, Associação OMUNGA, Associação Pro Bono Angola and UYELE-Associação Cívica, who formed the Working Group for Transparency and Truth in the Recovery and Reuse of Recovered Assets and monitors returned assets for the PIIM. It assesses the results of an asset return post-completion, identifying lessons for future returns.