On
Angola's
Oil Funds, IMF
Tells Inner
City Press
It's Working
on
Discrepancies
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
July 12, updated
-- After a
series of
questions take
by the
Internation
Monetary Fund
on Thursday
about Greece
and Ireland,
Portugal and
Cyprus, Inner
City Press'
question about
Angola and
transparency
was asked by
spokesman
Gerry Rice:
"On
Angola,
what is the
IMF's response
to requests
that the IMF
insist on
an audit of
the oil
revenue
unaccounted
for from 2007
to 2011?"
Rice
had
an answer
prepared in
his binder,
from which he
read, saying,
"the IMF
attaches great
important to
the
transparency
of
governments in
management of
public
finances."
He
said
the IMF and
Angola have
"devoted
efforts" in
light of
the "large
discrepancies
observed in
this accounts
since 2011."
Rice
claimed
this has
"produced
important
results" such
as
"highlighting
factors
underlying the
discrepancies"
and
"promoting the
introduction
of
institutional
measures" for
"accountability"
for "Angola's
oil revenue."
But
where
did the money
go,
other than to
real estate in
and around
Lisbon? Who is
being held
accountable?
Rice
continued
that "the
Angolan
authorities
say the intend
to
complete work"
soon, that
they "have
adopted
measure to
address
underlying
problems."
As
to
the IMF, Rice
said that the
"Board
concluded yesterday
its 2012
Article 4
consultations
with Angola"
and that
"there will
be more info
on that
discussion, a
Public
Information
Notice"
soon. We'll
see.
Inner
City
Press
submitted two
other
questions, on
Sri
Lanka and
Hungary.
On the latter,
the IMF half
answered, that
the
authorities
are
requesting
only a Stand
By Agreement,
"not a PLN."
Inner
City Press had
asked about
the flat tax,
and the
financial
transaction
tax. If and
when answers
are received,
they will be
published.
Watch this
site.
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