Mozambique: Solid base to grow as competitive country – president

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Mozambique: Solid base to grow as competitive country – president

7:00 CAT | 22 Dec 2023

Photo: Presidente Filipe Nyusi/Facebook

Mozambique’s president on Wednesday classified the State of the Nation as optimistic, considering that the country has created solid foundations to grow as a competitive, sustainable and inclusive country.

“Mozambique has created foundations to grow in the coming years as a competitive, sustainable and inclusive state,” the president said during his annual State of the Nation address to parliament.

In a session marked by protests from the main opposition party during the head of state’s speech, Filipe Nyusi acknowledged that the country still faces several challenges, highlighting the challenges of the international economic climate and the war against terrorism in Cabo Delgado.

“This trend [of economic growth] will be driven by the strength of the extractive industry (…), the capacity building of road corridors, road and air mobility, the development of tourism, the gains of the sustain [agrarian] programme and the attraction of productive investments in industry and fishing,” he added.

Nyusi reiterated that the year would end with the economy registering growth of 5%, despite the international situation, with restrictive monetary policies in the face of inflationary pressure caused by the energy crisis “In terms of the most recent sectoral dynamics, with regard to the growth of the Gross Domestic Product in the third quarter, the impetus given by the extractive industry stands out, with a variation of 43%, while a GDP structure dominated by agriculture and related activities also prevails,” added the Mozambican head of state.

“The current account balance stood at a deficit of €116 million, influenced by imports of cereals, energy products, cushioned by exports of gas, coal, electricity and others,” he said.

In the field of security, after six years of fighting terrorism by groups associated with the Islamic State in Cabo Delgado, Filipe Nyusi highlighted the progress made in the operational theatre, noting the death of the group’s leader, Ibin Omar [Bonomade Machude, also known as Abu Suraka].

This year’s report session was marked by protests from Renamo, the main opposition force, which booed and momentarily interrupted the Mozambican head of state’s speech during the annual State of the Nation Address in parliament.

Dressed in black T-shirts, written in repudiation of what they classify as mega-fraud in the local elections on 11 October, the deputies from the main opposition party turned their backs on the head of state when the president of parliament, Esperança Bias, called on him to give his report.

With hymns exalting their party, shouts and chants, the Renamo deputies booed Filipe Nyusi, demanding that the “electoral truth” be restored and calling the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) “thieves”.

Source: Lusa