The Parliament of Angola approves implementation of revised 2020 State Budget

The National Assembly (AN) approved this Tuesday the revised General State Budget (OGE 2020), with expenditure in the education and health sectors registering an increase in its share.

The revised OGE 2020, which foresees revenues of 13.5 billion kwanzas and expenses of equal value, was approved with 139 votes from MPLA and FNLA, 50 against from UNITA, six abstentions from CASA-CE and one from PRS.

The Minister of Finance, Vera Daves, indicated at the time that this is the possible budget given the country's current financial constraints.

In its explanation of vote, the MPLA said it welcomed the document to allow the Government to continue to implement programs that meet the wishes of Angolans, exemplifying the 1742 projects in progress, under the Integrated Plan of Intervention in Municipalities (PIIM).

According to MP Luísa Damião, this amending budget sends a strong and clear message that it is possible to transform the crisis into an opportunity to improve the quality of public spending.

She pointed out that the revised 2020 SGB pays special attention to the social sector, with particular emphasis on education and health, which has seen its share increase.

She also said that "there is a clear intention to protect families with lower incomes through the Kwenda programme", she said, criticising the opposition for never voting in favour of any OGE.