Angola’s Attorney General Announces Auctions of Recovered Assets Amid Ongoing Anti-Corruption Efforts
Luanda — Angola’s Attorney General, Hélder Pitta Groz, announced the upcoming auctions for the sale of seized real estate assets on Thursday in Luanda. The sale is part of Angola’s anti-corruption efforts, which have been underway since 2017.
According to a new release by the Angola Press News Agency, Groz made the announcement while speaking at the “Workshop on asset confiscation for magistrates of Angola’s higher courts.” He mentioned that some production units linked to the industry would also be privatized but did not specify the number of properties to be auctioned.
To date, more than $7 billion has been recovered by Angola in its fight against corruption and asset recovery. These recovered funds are being used for various programs, including the Investment and Intervention in Municipalities Program (PIIM), aimed at constructing schools and other social infrastructure. In the same timeframe, assets valued at over $12 billion have been seized and are currently awaiting court decisions.
Groz stated that assets recovered from abroad are undergoing legal procedures. The recovery of these assets often necessitates international cooperation and adheres to specific rules and legislation, which can be time-consuming.
Regarding ongoing investigations, including those involving the former Vice-President of the Republic, Manuel Vicente, and the former CEO of Sonangol, Isabel dos Santos, Groz stated that these are open and under secrecy. The Attorney General emphasized the complexity of some processes, requiring institutional cooperation.
The United Nations coordinator in Angola, Zahira Virani, praised the Angolan government for its commitment to combating illicit financial flows and corruption. Paulo Simões of the European Union Policy section in Angola also highlighted the essential role of courts in asset confiscation and stressed the need for efficient management and application mechanisms for these recovered assets.
The workshop is part of a broader project funded by the European Union to strengthen Angola’s asset confiscation system. It aims to improve the legal knowledge of magistrates in Angola’s higher courts to more effectively combat illicit financial flows and contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction.
This initiative aligns with the recommendations of the Eastern and Southern African Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG), which encourages Angola to continue recovering the proceeds of underlying money laundering crimes.