Angola economic performance assessment

The report draws on a variety of international data sources and uses international benchmarking against reference group averages, and statistical norms to identify major constraints, trends, and opportunities for strengthening growth and reducing poverty. For Angola, the reference groups are lower-middle-income countries globally (LMI), and lower-middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa (LMI-SSA). For direct comparators, the study uses two large and dynamic lower-middle-income countries, Brazil and South Africa. Brazil is the largest and most dynamic economy of the former Portuguese colonial world and has achieved a solid record of rapid and sustained growth over the past decade. Angola and Brazil also have close relations and many trading contacts, and Angolans view Brazil"s economy as a model for their own. South Africa represents an important regional aspiration case for Angola in many areas of economic performance. (Author abstract)