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Several years
ago, Africare made the mistake of beginning measles
vaccinations in Cuando Cubango Province ahead of the scheduled
national campaign. Having just arrived in Luanda, I
made what
I expected to be a routine courtesy call to Dr. Teresa Cohen,
then Deputy Minister of Health. It was a sobering experience.
Pleasantries duly observed, Dr. Cohen lit into Africare for
deciding on its own to start vaccinating children one day
early. Although it was a well-intentioned act on the part of
an expatriate Africare medical officer in Cuando Cubango, it
was further evidence—in Dr. Cohen’s view—of international NGOs
following their own agendas and arrogating to themselves
decision-making responsibilities which properly resided with
Angolans.
“This
is our country,” she stated bluntly. “We will make the
decisions.” For our sins, she said, our services in Angola
were to be terminated.
When
she had finished, I thanked her for being the first minister,
permanent secretary or member of parliament—from any African
country—who had declared, in my hearing, that we will take
responsibility for our affairs, including the welfare of our
people.
The
meeting ended amicably. Our services were not terminated. But
she had made her point—one that resonates today in Angola and
confirms that Dr. Cohen is not alone among Angolans in
believing that the country’s fate is their responsibility and
no one else’s.
Following the 2002 ceasefire, the Angolan Government fully
anticipated that the international community would—and
should—provide substantial support to rebuild the country.
There was much talk about a donors’ conference and a “peace
dividend.” I thought at the time that waiting for this largess
was not realistic and that Angola would be well-advised to
seize the initiative. Put your own resources to work, I told
at least one minister during yet another courtesy call. That
would force donor nations to acknowledge Angola’s own
commitment to its development, which in turn would encourage
investor confidence and sustained foreign assistance.
There
would be no donors’ conference, nor much of a peace dividend.
The government did go on waiting, for a time, but a recent
visit and other signs indicate to me that Angolans are now
seizing the initiative. Yes, their cup overfloweth with oil
revenues and revolving Chinese credit. No need to wait for the
donors, whose attention has been diverted to fresh fields of
conflict and disaster. However, the oil windfall masks a
fundamental aspect of the Angolan psyche: an abiding sense of
self-reliance that I observed among
Angolans during the long years of war.
This
manifests itself in subtle ways. When I met in November with
the vice governor of Kuanza Sul Province, we focused not on
what Africare might have to offer but on the province’s own
plans for development. Maybe we would fit into those plans,
maybe not. But it would clearly be an Angolan decision.
In
mid-December, when most African governments go into
hibernation for the holidays, Africare was invited to
participate in a day-long planning meeting at the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development. Provincial directors and
technical staff from throughout the country attended serious
working sessions. The fact that an international NGO would be
asked to play a role in this meeting was notable in its own
right. That the entire leadership cadre of a key development
ministry would meet just before Christmas, when it could just
as easily have waited until the New Year, also sends a
message.
KPMG/Luanda recently issued a press release which suggested
that Angola, unknown to many in the outside world, is a
country on the move. I didn’t have to read the release to know
that the train is leaving the station—and that it’s engineered
by Angolans.
Kevin Lowther is Africare’s Regional Director for Southern
Africa and a member of the board of directors of the U.
S.-Angola Chamber of Commerce. He has been visiting Angola
regularly since 1990.
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