Mozambique: Government prepares ‘protection belts’ along freight corridors

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Mozambique: Government prepares ‘protection belts’ along freight corridors

5:22 CAT | 12 Dec 2024

File photo: Lusa

Mozambique’s government intends to create “protection belts” along the freight corridors, including Maputo, the transport minister said on Thursday, adding that it is studying “appropriate solutions” with South Africa to see how to ensure security in the face of the post-election demonstrations.

“Some actions are underway to protect the corridors, we are trying to create protection belts along the Maputo corridor, from the Ressano Garcia border [the largest land border] to the port of Maputo, to ensure that goods continue to flow from South Africa to international markets and to other countries,” the transport and communications minister, Mateus Magala, said during the presentation of the private sector’s economic report for the third quarter of the year, which took place today in Maputo.

At issue are the demonstrations called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, which quickly led to clashes between demonstrators and the police, with protesters setting up barricades and preventing the transport of people and goods, especially in Maputo.

Mateus Magala acknowledged the urgency of creating security in the development corridors, focusing on Maputo, which protesters have targeted. Protesters have vandalised infrastructure at the Ressano Garcia border facilities, which have even been temporarily closed.

“At the moment, we are talking to the South African authorities to take joint action and see what we can do to assess the situation,” he said, noting that meetings are scheduled between the two governments to find solutions for protecting the Maputo corridor.

“We are developing concrete measures, and we are confident this will be possible. If the corridor doesn’t function, we will all be affected by a lack of food, clothing, opportunities, mobility and jobs, which won’t be good for anyone,” he promised.

Magala condemned the vandalisation of public and private infrastructure, saying that blocking access routes violates Mozambicans’ fundamental rights.

“When we vandalise the corridors, we harm the other countries that have placed their trust in us to manage and lead the regional trade process through the corridors (…) Vandalising is not a convenient attitude for anyone, and in that sense, because we have corridors, Mozambique has regional and global responsibilities,” he said.

The Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique (CTA), which brings together the private sector, has asked the President of the Republic for security guarantees for multinationals, including military escorts in the country’s main corridors, the president of the body said on 10 December.

“We have some multinationals that are in “démarches” to declare force majeure, so we have alerted them to the need, while urgent acts of the truce are taking place, also to help control the main corridors,” said the president of the CTA, Agostinho Vuma.

Protests against the election results have brought chaos to the streets in various parts of the country, with at least 110 people killed and more than 300 injured as a result of clashes between police and demonstrators since 21 October, according to an updated report by the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Plataforma Eleitoral Decide.

The National Electoral Commission (CNE) announced the results of the 9 October elections, which gave Daniel Chapo, supported by the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), victory with 70.67% of the votes. However, the results still need to be validated by the Constitutional Council, the last instance of appeal in electoral disputes.

In one of his last direct messages on Facebook, Mondlane promised to be in Maputo on 15 January, the date scheduled for the inauguration of the new head of state to take office as President of Mozambique.

Source: Lusa