Angolan food aid 'sits untouched'

Millions live in poverty in Angola

Food stocks bound for hungry Angolans have been stuck in port for over two months because of government intransigence, the UN food agency says.

Around 1,600 tonnes of pulses and vegetable oil are sitting in the capital Luanda because port authorities have not been paid.

The World Food Programme, which feeds 1.9 million Angolans, said the stocks were vital to their well-being.

An official called it a "classic problem of bureaucracy".

WFP stretched

The WFP has been putting pressure on the government to pay the dues.

Customs clearance and port fees are its main contribution to the costs of food aid - the WFP covers the rest.

Oscar Sarroca, the acting Angola director for the WFP, said: "In terms of our needs this is a very small quantity as we normally need around 20,000 metric tonnes each month in total commodities."

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"But in the case of pulses, any quantity is important because in the last two months we haven't been able to distribute any. They're an important source of protein to our beneficiaries."

The same problem in December 2002 led to a similarly lengthy delay, he said.

The WFP operation has already become stretched because of the rainy season, landmines and the difficulty of reaching some parts of Angola.

The country's three decades of civil war ended two years ago.

Most of its 13 million people live in poverty.

But Angola is rich in oil, and government critics are pushing Angola to do more for its own people.