The International Forum for Democratic Studies
at the National Endowment for Democracy

cordially invites you to a luncheon presentation entitled

Corruption in Angola: An Impediment to Democracy

featuring

Mr. Rafael Marques de Morais
Fellow, International Forum for Democratic Studies

with comments by

Dr. Peter Lewis

Johns Hopkins University

Thursday, May 12, 2011
12 noon–2:00 p.m.
(Lunch served 12:00–12:30 p.m.)

1025 F. Street, N.W., Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20004
Telephone: 202-378-9675

RSVP (acceptances only) with name and affiliation by Tuesday, May 10
by email to fellowsrsvp@ned.org.

During Angola’s civil wars, the government consistently pointed to corruption as the second major destructive force in the country, after the conflict itself. Ironically, in time of peace, corruption has become the nation’s defining governance issue. Top government officials are benefiting from blatant, often lawful mechanisms of enrichment, including the appropriation of state assets through unconcealed privatization; the assignment of business contracts to companies owned and often managed by state officials; and pressures on multinational corporations to form joint-ventures with military generals as a condition of foreign investment. While billions of dollars pour into the personal bank accounts of corrupt officials, ordinary Angolans live in extreme poverty, with 70 percent of the population surviving on less than two dollars a day. Notably, these forms of corruption are practiced within the country’s evolving legal framework, which continues to consolidate executive power, promote privatization of the state, and inhibit freedom of the press and civil society. In his presentation, journalist and activist Mr. Rafael Marques de Morais will examine the ways in which institutionalized corruption affects the rule of law, democratization, and the functionality of the Angolan state, while describing the role that the U.S. government, American businesses, and think tanks can play in holding the government accountable. His presentation will be followed by comments by Dr. Peter Lewis.

Mr. Rafael Marques de Morais is an award-winning Angolan journalist and writer with a special interest in political economy and human rights. In 2009, he founded the watchdog website “Maka,” dedicated to exposing corruption in his country. Mr. Morais has authored numerous human rights reports on the diamond trade, including Harvesting Hunger in Angola’s Diamond Fields (2008), Operation Kissonde: The Diamonds of Misery and Humiliation (2006), and Lundas: The Stones of Death (2005), coauthored with Rui Campos.  In recognition of his extraordinary efforts on behalf of human rights, Mr. Morais was awarded the Train Foundation’s Civil Courage Prize in 2006 and the National Association of Black Journalists’ Percy Qoboza Award for Outstanding Courage in 2000. Dr. Peter M. Lewis is an associate professor and director of the African studies program at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies.