Abstract

Angola emerged from 40 years of conflict in 2002, one of the longest periods of civil strife in Africa. Since then, the country has become Africa's second largest oil producer and single largest supplier to China. This concentration of economic activity in the oil and diamond sectors benefits a small portion of the population while almost 70% live below the poverty line.

In Angola, the informal economy constitutes what is probably the largest unregulated informal economy in the world, and provides a primary living for over 75% of the economically active population. While Development Workshop has provided some baseline data and in-depth knowledge on specific sectors, researchers have yet to capitalize on this unique opportunity to understand how the informal economy functions to support such a vast population.

This grant will allow Development Workshop to undertake a comprehensive, cross-sector research project on the Angolan informal economy, and assess its potential to reconstitute social capital and revitalize shattered social institutions. The project will include the following: a cross-sector study on production and marketing by home-based enterprises, urban marketplaces and street vendors; a review of existing information on informal water systems and institutions; and an analysis of the informal rental housing market in Luanda. The idea is to encourage evidence-based policymaking, social advocacy and development activities to address the challenge of peacebuilding and reconstruction in Angola.

Recipient Institution(s)