ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT JOSE EDUARDO DOS SANTOS AT THE OPENING OF THE NATIONAL SEMINAR ON CAPACITY BUILDING OF THE MEMBERS OF THE 5TH MPLA CONGRESS PREPARATORY COMMISSIONS



LUANDA, 14 MAY 2003

In view of the 5th Congress of MPLA to take place in December this year, the leadership of our party decided to hold a cycle of meetings for preparation and capacity building which today we have the pleasure to start.

The holding of this National Seminar on Capacity Building of the Members of the Preparatory Commissions for that Congress aim, above all, at transmitting to the organs with leading responsibility in the Party, either at central or local level, the general and methodological directions and the set of political, organisational and ideological actions that will provide form and content to that great event.

It is the challenges of modern times, particularly those looming up in the Angolan horizon, that demand that our party be a modern political organisation, ideologically strong, cohesive and democratic, capable of contributing in a decisive way for the resolution of national problems.

The world is living its most vexed period of the last two decades, both at the political level and in the economic and financial sphere. A single superpower is dominating international relations, a circumstance that did not exist when the objectives and foundations for the creation and functioning of the United Nations were defined.

On the other hand, a crisis of retraction and of low growth and investment characterises the world economy, generating the closure and bankruptcy of multinational companies. Debate on the need to adapt the UN to the reality of the contemporary world and on the possibility of revising a few norms and the introduction of new concepts of International Law has already emerged.

The implosion of the socialist system in Central and Eastern Europe, which brought particular consequences to African countries, has marked the start of a new phase for Humanity, not only because of what has been said earlier but also for the market economy has virtually expanded in the entire world.

The consequence of this was not only the growing interdependence of economies and social systems but also the diffusion of new philosophical and ethnical ideas grounded on the new working and living conditions which have been introduced in almost all regions of the world.

It is these new facts that should deserve our attention so that we can discuss with perception all the issues inherent to the globalisation process, which constitutes a complex and irreversible phenomenon. Its main characteristic is the progressive but growing elimination of the barriers hampering the mobility of people, of goods and of capitals.

At first glance, globalisation cannot be defined as good or bad thing. It will be what people will make of it, that means, it is a process that can be oriented. It is necessary that globalisation, as a system, be at the service of the peoples, of solidarity and of general well-being.

We must therefore know how to get inserted in this changing world for us to better protect the interest of the Angolan People.

Throughout its already rich history, MPLA always gave evidences of its capacity to adopt strategies in the face of the shock caused by the accelerated rhythm of changes recorded in a certain historical epoch or phase.

That is how things were in 1974, on the threshold of national independence, when we held at Lundogi, in east Angola, the Inter-Regional Conference of Militants, that defined the new guidelines in the face of the changes occurred in the state structure of the colonial power.

Also in 1977, when new winds of the History and the correlation of the then forces at global level made us believe that the socialistic system of planned state economy was superior to the capitalistic system of free economy and hence constituted the fastest way to take us to development and social justice.

It was also likewise in 1991, when we decided to abandon Marxism-Leninism as a State ideology and convert the Party into a structure capable of leading the changes required in the sense of openness, of pluralism of democratisation, of free initiative and of approximation and tolerance among Angolans.

The MPLA ever knew to make an adequate reading of the signs of times, what implied our not fearing the unknown and, above all, took us to the perception by us all, from the Leadership down to the bottom, that the new, the diverse and the transitional are not bad in themselves; they are risks containing threats but also opportunities to improve and transform the life of we all.

We learnt by own efforts and merit to adapt to the change and manage the content of these changes, for the benefit of the Nation that we are guiding. In global terms, the challenges MPLA has to face up at this start of millennium are part of the alterations that in global terms translate into three political macro-tendencies:

1. The growing participation of citizens in the political life and in the solution of their problems;

2. The end to Socialism centralised economy;

3. The bankruptcy of the Social State and perspectives.

The new forms of regulating and orientating the societies resulting from this demand new forms of learning on the part of our Party, so as to take advantage of those transformations, both through the most efficient ways of governance and through the adoption of adequate strategies and practices that can rapidly lead us to the development road and full democratisation.

There is a determining factor in the process of changes that we, seemingly from the liberation struggle period, have been stressing, drawing the attention to its importance. I mean the "Human factor", the scholars that understand the transformations that are taking place in the political, social and economic sphere, both at local and global level.

Our Party, although being an encompassing organisation, of masses, of popular origin and turned to the deepest preoccupations of the humble citizen, needs scholars to outline and implement its policies.

The collaboration of a scholar of acknowledged capacity and competence with our party should not require their affiliation. We ought to be receptive to any eventual contributions for the technical or practical resolution of a problem of national interest, even coming from scholars that are not members of the Party and want to preserve their independent condition.

It is useful that the predicting management of our human resources be a strategic priority, once the future depends on the scholars we are training today.

Social ascension and progression in the careers must be grounded on merit and on the skills revealed by each one.

From the organic point of view, our party must function in keeping with the democratic precepts, that is, must be governed by the principles of transparency, of organisation and of democratic management and participation of all its members.

Among the democratic principles we must predict the periodic election of leaders by the Party members or by representative assemblies of the militants, the secret suffrage and the possibility of an open discussion of our internal problems.

Those are the principles which ought to be present in the organisation and holding of the upcoming 5th Congress. A Party that fails to observe in its internal life the democratic rules, cannot secure a democratic governance of the country.

Therefore, internal democratisation of MPLA is one of the themes we should deepen in the next Congress. It is imperative to actually break the reminiscences of "democratic centralism", a principle that we no longer identify with and which still constitutes an obstacle to structural changes at the Part level.

MPLA nowadays no longer appears as a Vanguard Party, in the sense of holding the whim of commanding and imposing its political concepts on the whole Angolan society. But MPLA exists in the Angolan multiparty system on equal footing with other political parties, which also fight for the conquest and exercising of power. However, it still has the political function of direction and, in this sense, it is a producer of national strategies that seeks to manage in a differentiated manner, in a democratic, competitive context, in order to keep its political, ideological and pragmatic identity.

It pays attention to the linkage that must exist between the Party and the electorate, what means being capable of presenting credible proposals for solution to the great national problems, like those that have been mentioned and whose resolution requires the participation of all Angolan citizens without exception.

MPLA is a Party that has added responsibilities because it has exercised the power since the ascension of Angola to Independence and for its historical past covered with glories and of great coherence of principles and of fidelity to the great national goals.

The political ideas and fundamental principles consecrated in its Statutes and in its programme remain valid and must serve as a reference to the action of the Party and substratum to our ideology.

DEAR COMRADES

The achievement of peace placed us in a more advantageous position and imposes new obligations and responsibilities to MPLA , as the winning Party of the last elections. MPLA, in the next years, has to know how to lead the national effort for us to overcome the great challenges awaiting Angola namely:

1. Peace consolidation, that comprises the promotion of national reconciliation and the reconstruction of the country;

2. Consolidation of Democracy and of a Lawful State and the respect for Human rights;

3. Good governance, translated into an efficient and transparent management of the public expenditure and into the rational and sustainable utilisation of human resources, keeping in its epicentre the Angolan citizen, their individual and collective aspirations.

4. Reduction in State direct intervention in the economy, in exchange for the reinforcement of its regulating role, propitiating the sustainable development, increase in national wealth and fight on unemployment and hunger;

5. Political and economic relations, regional and international, conducive to its stability and development.

The consolidation of peace and democracy brings implicit the periodic legitimisation of the sovereignty organs, what takes us to recognise as just and accept the unease that has been expressed regarding the future of general elections in the country.

However, it is necessary not to forget that the Parliament has approved a law providing for the conditions to hold elections, splitting the tasks between the National Assembly and the Government, namely the passing of laws and the creation of technical and material conditions. There is a need to dialogue with the Political Parties and remain attentive to the contributions of the society in general, on how and when to accomplish those tasks. That is what our consultations that I timely announced should concentrate on.

In addition to good governance, one of the main factors that can undoubtedly make the populations approximate each other and strengthen the ties uniting them to MPLA is the resolution of the problem of poverty.

Although this is also one of the main objectives of the government, it was necessary to prioritise at this phase of transition from war to peace the care taking of the thousands of citizens most affected by the war and who were in a despaired situation.

From now on we must redouble our efforts to launch projects and actions conducive to an improved access to minimal basic social services such as: health, education, supply of drinking water, fertilisers and working tools, aiming the immediate relief of poverty and the insertion into local productive activity.

These initiatives have to be duly compliant with the objectives of macroeconomic adjustment, particularly with respect to the fiscal deficit of the State. With that we want to establish a pluri-annual programme centred on projects for assistance to the displaced, for supply of social basic services, for reconstruction of the infrastructures focusing on the fight to poverty, at the same time paying attention to the economic growth, once this is the only way we can reverse the phenomenon of poverty with sustainable results.

In reality, the fight to poverty is one of the main axles of the policy of fair redistribution of the national revenue and of social justice. In approaching these issues, it is convenient to stress that Angola is not a rich country, in the sense of being possessed of high internal incomes. Our country essentially relies on incomes from a single product, the oil. Its Gross Domestic Product is low, since it is only about 12 billion Dollars in a population universe of more than 12 million people, with huge shortages in food, health, housing, etc..

It is said that countries like South Africa and Portugal have, for instance, a GDP of 131.1 billion Dollars for a population of 43 million, and 123 billion Dollars for a population 10 million respectively.

The Government has the responsibility of securing macro-economic stability, in order to preserve the value of the assets in national currency and the purchasing power of the salary of the citizens, a key presupposition for economic growth. To this end, it is necessary to continue making efforts towards lowered inflation rate and increased investment and national production.

It is within this framework that it becomes urgent to adopt an incomes and prices policy of global nature which can involve the elements of economic, fiscal, social and labour Policy. The incomes and prices policy ought to be articulated and reliant on the effort for national reconstruction and on the evolution of the production and efficiency of our economy and may be implemented progressively.

Thus, the Government shall make a gradual adjustment of fixed tariffs and prices of goods and services in the view of the reduction of the fiscal deficit and a more equitable redistribution of incomes. However, the Government shall relieve the impact of such an adjustment for the more vulnerable strata, developing actions for social protection.

Policy conceived in this way will contribute for the reduction of the extreme poverty level and the asymmetries of the incomes of people, based on a fairer redistribution action of the fiscal policy and on an improved social security.

The Government also shall intervene there where situations of imperfect market may be occurring, exercising its role of regulator, setting prices limits, in a way to preserve an efficient allocation of the resources available.

In essence, those are measures conducive to a significant reduction in social inequalities and incomes sharing, as a result of the application of a public policy, with a major expression at the level of salary, fiscal and social security policies plus the social expenditures such as education, health and housing.

There is an urgent need for a Fiscal Reform which takes into account the changes of the political regime and the economic system which are taking place in the country, paying a special attention to the issue of introducing a simplified system of the Value Added Tax, in articulation with the stamp tax reform, as well as with the correction of the main injustices in the taxing of incomes. To this end, it is necessary to seek the necessary consensus between the Government and its social partners. Those who earn more, must pay more, and those who lack incomes must be protected as far as possible.

I recognise as well that the current system of fiscal and customs justice, both administrative and legal, is no longer compliant with our reality nor with our Constitution and it is imperative, therefore, to refresh and adapt the new fiscal and customs justice system, as part of a fiscal reform. With effect, redistribution of national incomes depends much on strong and transparent policies.

DEAR COMRADES

MPLA must be the driving force of tolerance and respect for difference, contributing for the creation of firm conditions for the strengthening of the Civil Society, which must participate in the resolution of great national issues. By thrashing this way we will favour the culture of dialogue, of participation, of solidarity and of reconciliation, without which peace can not be consolidated.

There should be channels allowing an interaction among the State, the Government, the Administration and the Society. The ideal of political action and of social action has to be handled not only by the State, but also by the society, opening new rooms for public action.

One can not imagine the State as being the only agent of social well-being and transformation. At society level, there should also exist other acting organisations, capable of presenting solutions and act in terms of common well-being.

It`s in this context that, for example, MPLA concert with other Angolan political parties gains its full relevance, privileging the common points which necessarily exist in their programmes and methods, allowing even to prospect the creation of platforms of action in future electoral events.

As for our region, and Africa in general, the reinforcement of co-operation with parties which most identify themselves with our programmatic line will be decisive, so as to consolidate the respective democratisation processes, in a framework of transformation of political and governance structures in the Continent.

This seminar is, therefore, a first opportunity for us to think together about all these issues, in order to enrich the work content of the 5th MPLA Congress.

I thank you all for your time Thank You Very Much!