The Angolan parliament today approved in general the proposed 2025 State General Budget (OGE) with favorable votes from the MPLA, the ruling party, and PHA, the opposition party, and votes against from UNITA, the largest opposition party.
As expected, the 2025 OGE proposal was approved with 112 votes in favor from the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA, in power since 1975) and the Humanist Party of Angola (PHA), 63 votes against from the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), and three abstentions from deputies of the Social Renewal Party (PRS) and the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA).
This macroeconomic management instrument for Angola, which estimates revenues and sets expenses at the same value, 34.63 trillion kwanzas (about 35 billion euros), now moves on to discussion in detail and is expected to go to final and global voting in the second half of December.
MPLA deputy Jorge Ribeiro Wefo said his party supported the executive’s legislative initiative because they believe the document includes expenditures for the main programs that contribute to the country’s economic and social development.
“There are no budgets capable of satisfying all needs. In this sense, approving the 2025 OGE proposal is not only a sign and sense of commitment to the ultimate goals of the Angolan state, but also to implement the state’s fundamental tasks,” he justified in his vote declaration.
The Humanist Party of Angola (PHA) voted in favor, as its deputy Fernando Dinis stated, because they believe that, despite various gaps, the proposal will deserve detailed analysis in the specialty stage for improvement.
On the part of UNITA, the vote declaration against was presented by deputy Américo Chivukuvuku, who stated that as it is currently written, the budget “does not resolve the problems afflicting the country and its people.”
The UNITA deputies said “unfortunately, the 2025 OGE will not improve the lives of families, will not solve the problem of poverty that affects 17 million citizens, nor the hunger problem that affects 13 million people.”
PRS deputy Rui Malopa Miguel justified the vote choice of the renewers, stating that the discussion and voting of the budget took place at a time when the country and Angolans are facing a “very concerning” socio-economic situation.
“After 49 years of independence, the coherent and realistic measures that give hope for the survival of families have still not been implemented,” he pointed out, justifying his abstention.
The 2025 OGE proposal already includes funds for the three new Angolan provinces resulting from the country’s new administrative division and foresees a high debt service that will absorb almost 50% of the budget expenditure, totaling 16.5 trillion kwanzas (about 17 billion euros), with 12.45 trillion kwanzas allocated for debt repayment.
Lusa, 15/11/2024
