Mozambique: Defence and Security allocated an extra 5.6 billion meticais – Carta

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Mozambique: Defence and Security allocated an extra 5.6 billion meticais – Carta

4:26 CAT | 08 Oct 2020

File photo: O País

The defence and security continues to be the best funded sector in Mozambique, consuming more and more of the state budget, ‘Carta de Moçambique’ reports today.

Calculations by Carta based on the Draft Review of the State Budget for 2020, which is already lodged with the Assembly of the Republic, indicate that, of the 28.7 billion meticais to be added to the 345.3 billion meticais initially defined as expenditure for 2020, more than 5.6 billion will be allocated to defence and security sector.

The overall budget for this sector corresponds to more than 19.5% of the total amount increase set aside to guarantee the normal functioning of state institutions until 31 December.

According to Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) document, around two billion meticais will be allocated to the Armed Defence Forces of Mozambique (FADM), taking it from the current 8.2 billion to 10.2 billion meticais.

The General Command of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) is to see an increase of almost 1.3 billion meticais, with its budget increased from 722.3 million to two billion meticais.

The State Intelligence and Security Service (SISE) initially had a budget allocation of 2.5 billion meticais, which the proposal increases by 600 million meticais to an overall amount of 3.1 billion meticais.

Casa Militar, the entity responsible for the security of the Head of State and his family, saw its budget increase by 115.9 million meticais, from 748.3 million to 864.2 million meticais.

At the ministry level, National Defence is the best funded, seeing its budget doubled. In the State Budget approved last April, the Ministry of National Defence had a budget of 451.4 million meticais. The proposed revision now indicates 905.9 million meticais.

In turn, Ministry of the Interior funding will increase by 1.1 billion meticais from the initial 15.6 billion to 16.7 billion meticais.

Meanwhile,…

The health sector, which is fighting the new coronavirus pandemic, has seen its budget grow by 1.2 billion meticais, with the Ministry of Health’s budget due to increase by 400 million meticais from 9.4 billion to 9.8 billion meticais.

Maputo Central Hospital, the largest health unit in the country, will get an extra 600 million meticais, the 1.6 billion meticais initially defined rising to 2.2 billion meticais.

The National Health Institute (INS) sees its budget revised from 60 million to 90.1 million meticais, an increase of 30.1 million meticais. The Central Warehouse of Medicines and Medical Articles budget will rise from 186.9 million meticais to 402.2 million meticais, an increase of 215.3 million.

By June 30, the defence sector had consumed 95.5% of its annual budget and may by this time be in the red. The fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado, and military attacks led by the self-proclaimed Renamo Military Junta, are cited as the main reasons for this financial “effort.

By Abilio Maolela

Source: Carta de Moçambique