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afrol News, 24 October - Four million people in Angola, or one third of the country's population, are internally displaced, according to a UN report released today. As all social indicators were dangerously low, the report encourages deficit budgeting to reconstruct the country. The UN's Common Country Assessment for 2002 cites government statistics showing that more than 60 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, which is equivalent to US$ 1.68 a day. Life expectancy in Angola is only 42 years, while the country has the second highest under-five mortality rate in the world – 295 per 1,000 live births, according to the report, titled, "Angola - Challenges after the war". The document also looked at the poor state of the country's education sector. "About half of primary school-age children are not enrolled in school, mainly because of financial constraints, but in some cases because many do not have birth certificates or there are no school places available," the report says. Malaria was highlighted as the principal cause of death among children and adults. The parasite disease further was one of the main causes of poor health and depression and had a significant effect on household revenues. The report however warns that AIDS easily could develop into the single largest killer in Angola due to its spread in neighbour countries. The report, which was made public in Luanda by the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Angola, Erick de Mul, notes that the new peace in the country pushes to the foreground a series of other deep-seated underlying problems that require urgent attention. The document aims to serve as a strategic framework for UN agencies working in Angola, the UN reports. The study further concluded that, although the need for external aid had been recognised, the government would have to take the lead in the country's reconstruction. The UN, donors and other organisations operating in the country could only complement government efforts. Erick de Mul concluded that the government indeed had the means to address Angola's social problems with an already big oil production that "is forecast to remain quite stable until 2005." After that, Mr de Mul writes, production is estimated to "rise rapidly, probably reaching more than 1.9 million barrels per day by 2007." This should encourage temporary deficit budgeting, with the aim to "finance much of the country's reconstruction," the UN study concludes. Sources: Based on UN and afrol archives
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