Overview
Cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Angola. The Angolan authorities have introduced a number of measures to limit the spread of the virus.
The Angolan Government suspended international flights in and out of the country on 20 March and introduced a state of emergency on 27 March until at least 11 April. This activated a series of measures to limit the spread of the virus, including significant restrictions on movement throughout the country. All citizens have been asked to remain at home. Most shops, other than those selling food or medicine, are currently closed. The Angolan police are robustly enforcing these rules. Public transport is operating at a reduced level and there are no internal flights.
Entry and borders
All scheduled international flights to and from Angola were suspended from 20 March until further notice.
The Government of Angola has also announced that nobody (apart from returning Angolan nationals or expatriates residing permanently in Angola) will be allowed into Angola after having visited China, South Korea, Iran, France, Spain, Portugal or Italy since December. All returning residents who have been to China, South Korea, Iran, France, Spain, Portugal or Italy will be placed in obligatory quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
Travel Restrictions
1. Passengers and airline crew who have been in China (People's Rep.), France, Iran, Italy, Korea (Rep.), Portugal or Spain are not allowed to enter Angola. This also applies to passengers and airline crew who have been in contact with people infected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
- This does not apply to airline crew and nationals of Angola.
2. Residents of Angola, airline crew and nationals of Angola who arrive from or have been in China (People's Rep.), France, Iran, Italy, Korea (Rep.), Portugal or Spain will be put in quarantine.
3. A completed sanitary control sheet must be presented to the National Directorate of Public Health of the Ministry of Health upon arrival.
Source : IATA Timatic
Economic Measures
Key Policy Responses
FISCAL
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The National Assembly approved a package of revenue and expenditure measures to fight the COVID-19 outbreak in the country and minimize its negative economic impact. Additional health care spending, estimated at US$40 million, was announced. Tax exemptions on humanitarian aid and donations and some delays on filing taxes for selected imports were granted.
MONETARY AND MACRO-FINANCIAL
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On March 27, 2020, the central bank (BNA) reduced the rate on its 7-day permanent liquidity absorption facility from 10 percent to 7 percent and expanded its credit-stimulus program that allows banks to deduct from reserve requirement obligations the amount of credit extended to selected sectors. Financial institutions that provide credit are requested to grant their clients a moratorium of 60 days for servicing the debt. On April 3, the BNA increased the minimum allocation of credit to promote the production of priority products to 2.5 percent of the commercial banks’ net assets. On April 18, the BNA instructed banks to provide credit in local currency to assist importers of essential goods; and on May 7, it reinstated its Permanent Overnight Liquidity Provision facility to provide liquidity support to banks (Kz 100 billion, or about US$185 million), and extended access to large non-financial corporations on the previously announced discount line (US$185 million) created for the purchasing of government securities from non-financial corporations.
EXCHANGE RATE AND BALANCE OF PAYMENTS
Source : IMF & WB
Civic Freedom Tracker
DECREE NO. 82/20 ON A STATE OF EXCEPTION TO PREVENT AND CONTROL THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
The presidential decree declares a nationwide "state of exception." The decree grants the government power to limit individuals' freedom of movement and assembly, requisition private property, and forcibly confine people deemed likely to transmit COVID-19. (See primary source or citation here)
Type: order
Date Introduced: 27 Mar 2020
Issue(s): Assembly, Emergency, Movement
Source : ICNL
