Frelimo accuses Western countries of “importing Springs” to Mozambique

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Frelimo accuses Western countries of “importing Springs” to Mozambique

9:38 CAT | 16 May 2016

Lusa (File photo)

The secretary general of Frelimo’s Association of Combatants of the National Liberation Struggle (ACLLN) has criticized international donors for suspending their funding and wanting to “import Springs” to the country.

Regarding the suspension of aid following the revelation of undisclosed government-guaranteed debts, Notícias on Friday quoted Fernando Faustino as saying: “Today they want to import Springs to Mozambique, under the cover of public debt, but it is good to remember that this reaction [reactionary movement] will not pass.”

The head of ACLLN, a body chaired by of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) leader and president of the republic Filipe Nyusi, accuses Western countries and some international partners of seeking to destabilize the country to force a regime change, citing Iraq, the Ukraine and the “Arab springs” in Egypt or Libya as examples.

“Which country in the world has no debts?” Faustino asks, questioning the moral authority of donor countries who are themselves highly indebted and have contributed to the problems of the developing nations.

“Europe has debts, America has debts, Asia has debts … Why should Africa be blackmailed for having debts?”

The ACLLN Secretary-General also criticizing international partners for their “deafening silence” on the attacks on civilian and military targets in the centre of the country attributed by the authorities to the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo).

The ACLLN, according to Faustino, “notes that the strategy of these countries is destabilization and forcing change of legitimately elected governments”, and calls on former combatants not to be distracted from their primary goal of peace and development, and on Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama to disarm and resume talks with President Nyusi.

The Mozambican government in April acknowledged the existence of a previously undisclosed debts of US$1.4 billion (EUR 1.25 billion), which it justified on national security grounds.

The revelation of government-guaranteed loans contracted between 2013 and 2014 led the International Monetary Fund to suspend the second installment of a pre-agreed loan to Mozambique and cancel a visit to Maputo.

The G14 group of state budget donors also suspended its payments, followed by the US, which announced this week that it would review its bilateral support to the country.

In the letter formalizing the suspension, the G14 cited “hefty debts” bearing government guarantees incurred without the approval of parliament, “in violation of the basic principles of partnership”, forcing donors to conclude that “the necessary conditions for the disbursement of funds for general budget support are not currently in place”.

The Mozambican president has drawn a comparison between the hidden debts with malaria, saying it was now necessary “to disinfect the house” in order to regain donor confidence.

Mozambique’s partners, according Nyusi, look upon Mozambique as a house unsafe for children “because there are mosquitoes”, but is confident that they will return.

Source: Lusa