Conclusion

As the Oil Diagnostic progresses, the government of Angola should be seizing the opportunity to emerge from an environment of war, poor governance, economic crisis, and widespread human rights abuse toward a climate of transparency, official accountability and support for the rule of law, good governance, and sustained social development-all conditions which would help bring much-needed human rights improvements in the country. In this context, the Oil Diagnostic could be an important step in establishing transparency and governmental accountability, but for this to occur it is vital that the Angolan government commit to publicly releasing the Oil Diagnostic reports and a follow-up audit to determine discrepancies. Similarly, the World Bank and IMF should insist on those steps as conditions for further cooperation with the government. Beyond the Oil Diagnostic, the government should make public its budget and create strong institutions that promote and protect transparency, accountability, respect for the rule of law, and human rights.