Mozambique

Main article: Africa

Population

Main article: Population of Africa

Population

2022:33 million people

Migration

2021: Net outflow over 4 years

Hunger

Less than 30% of the population is overweight

Mortality

2018: Number of deaths in road accidents

2016: Low opioid deaths

Economy

GDP $481 per person

Inflation

2022: Inflation in November - 11.8%

Corruption

2020: Massive bribe culture

Stealing in Mozambique was learned in unison with the liberal reforms of the 1980s, when the practice of candonga flourished. So called the price game between half-empty state stores, where "cutlets are only for the weekend," and the black market. These skills turned out to be at a price when, after liberalization and the rejection of Marxism, donor money flowed into the country. Then drinking international funds became the main national sport, wrote the telegram channel Zangaro Today.

It's done simply. Take the settlement of Mgla, ruled by the "king." He receives money from the district development fund for various gender-balanced, sustainable and environmentally friendly businesses. Bribes here flicker already at the level of the submission by the peasants of Mgla of an application for a grant: those need competently drawn up documents, and the leaders, as a rule, favor their fellow residents. The same is happening in urban poor Bairush neighborhoods, where secretaries run everything - usually political representatives of the ruling FRELIMO party. And then there is a thorough selection of beneficiaries on the principle of proximity to the body, denomination, sex, age, income, and so on, and at the final stage of the organization of a conditional fishing cooperative by the villagers of conditional Mgla from the conditional 100 thousand meticals, only half of the grant will be able to report on the grant. - the rest of the money goes to various shadow procedures, gifts and in your pocket - to cover the "costs" of knocking out funding.

Bribes here take everything. Ministers, party traders, governors, district chiefs, town chiefs, traditional kings and queens. And okay, it would be in corruption, called here quite conventionally - corrupção. But this is the highest, so to speak, "illegal" level, available especially to bursting and impudent officials, and for this you can even rattle. The trouble is that at the very bottom of the social pyramid there is a bulad - all kinds of "schemes," petty smuggling, deception, into which the state and bodies do not even think to meddle. This is not even considered corruption, here it is called a refrain - "refreshing drink" - which is given more often in money, but sometimes in kind. Almost 34% of those applying to government agencies regularly give bribes - when a child is enrolled in school, receiving medicine, a new ID, and a driver's license.

Worse: people perceive all this as a normal part of life, dutifully swallow, saying that, they say, "this is how the world works." Mozambican scientist Elijiu Makamu argues that corruption reigns here rather from an overabundance of morality: the desire to help friends, relatives, co-parties, the understanding that the family cannot be fed on a low salary. And to cash in on a stupid and rich mzungu is almost a holy thing in general.

Power

2023: Agreement to build a hydroelectric power station on the Zambezi to support France's gas projects

On December 13, 2023, the Mozambican government signed an agreement with the French energy company EDF to build a new hydroelectric power station. Another company from France, TotalEnergies, also received a stake in the project.

The dam and hydroelectric plant will be built along the Zambezi River in northern Mozambique and will generate 1,500 MW of electricity in the first phase. The first turbine of the hydroelectric power station should start working by 2031.

The construction of a new hydroelectric power station is aimed primarily at supporting new-old projects for the production and import of liquefied gas, which the EU needs after the outbreak of a conflict with Russia.

In the wake of interest in the gas-rich province of Kabu Delgadu, energy companies are striving to stake out as many assets as possible in order to diversify energy sources, as well as to cut off the opportunity for non-European competitors to "snatch a piece of gas pie."

The French face opposition from the US and verify information about CIA cooperation with Mozambican terrorist groups, which are paid money to attack the enterprises of specific companies of competitors.

2020: Very low energy consumption per capita

and

2019: Electrification rate just 35%

Gas production

Europe defends its gas projects against terrorists at the hands of Rwanda to replace gas supplies from Russia

On December 1, 2022, the EU first announced the provision of €20 million "to support the further deployment of the Rwanda Defense Forces" in the province of Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique. These actions fit into the overall strategy of European countries to diversify energy sources, the lack of which threatens Europe in a very difficult winter.

For 5 years now, the country has been going on a war with the Ahlul Sunna wal-Jamaa group ("Adherents of the Sunna and Jamaat"). The largest terrorist activity is concentrated in the poor northern province of Kabu Delgadu, next to which on the shelf are the most attractive gas fields for development.

In 2017, amid the growing popularity of extremism among the country's poor population and the clumsy work of local security officials, the group rebelled against the government and then pledged allegiance to the Islamic State's "Central African Province."

The Mozambican army was unable to repel terrorists due to poor training of personnel and outdated weapons. The government was forced to seek foreign aid.

In the fall of 2019, PMC Wagner arrived in Mozambique, the task of which was to train and support local security officials. However, disagreements with the authorities forced the mission to be curtailed a few weeks later.

The baton was taken over by the fighters of the Dyck Advisory Group PMC from South Africa. The group could not achieve any serious success in the fight against the militants and suffered losses, so the South Africans managed to work only until April 2021.

The slurred response to the increase in terrorist activity allowed the militants to temporarily seize the coastal cities of Mosimboa da Praia (August 2020) and Palma (March 2021), creating a serious threat to gas production projects.

Just 10 km from the city of Palma, the French company Total is building a giant complex for the processing and liquefaction of natural gas worth $20 billion.

After the militants executed several dozen people, including foreign specialists, during the attack, in April 2021 Total announced the suspension of the LNG project. Total's disruption provoked increased pressure from the project's beneficiaries on the Mozambican authorities to force them to let foreign contingents into their territory.

The critical situation in the fight against terrorism has pushed the government to accept foreign aid.

As part of the bilateral agreement, the first 1,000 troops came from Rwanda in July 2021 . Another 2,000 troops were deployed under the auspices of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which includes Mozambique.

The European Union approved €15 million for the SADC mission, €89 million for Mozambique and deployed its military training mission.

Foreign intervention drove the rebels out of a number of areas, including Palma and Mosimboa da Praia. But despite the fact that the group clearly suffered tangible damage, the poorly coordinated strikes of the allies could not inflict a decisive defeat.

The terrorists broke up into small mobile units and continued to operate both on the periphery of Kabu Delgadu and in the neighboring regions of Nyasu and Nampulu.

The main goal - to drive militants away from gas fields and save foreign investments - is only partially fulfilled.

For December 2022, fighting continues in the Nangade region, located on the way between Mueda and Palma. Rwandan troops control the Mosimboa da Praia-Mueda road essentially between the two war zones.

In early 2022, Total announced that it planned to resume work in 2022, but only if foreign troops created a 30-kilometer security zone around the field.

The Coral South floating LNG terminal under the control of a consortium of Italian Eni, American ExxonMobil and Chinese CNPC deserves special attention - they account for 70% of the contract. The remaining 30% is allocated equally to Portugal's Galp, South Korea's Kogas and Mozambique's National Hydrocarbon Company.

In November 2022, the consortium announced the start of gas production on the offshore.

British BP has already signed a minimum 20-year contract with the Mozambican government to purchase all the gas supplied by the Coral South platform.

The conflict in Mozambique is far from a settlement in the near future, the Rybar channel noted. Extremists continue to expand the area of ​ ​ influence in the southwest of the country.

In search of an alternative to Russian gas, foreign companies, as in many other countries, Africa are trying to ensure maximum control over the actions of local security officials and secure their concessions using foreign military missions as private security companies.

At the same time, Europeans are betting on the most combat-ready Rwandan contingent, which has already reached 2,500 people and is likely to increase.

2020: Islamic terrorism threatens development of LNG projects

With the current dynamics of the development of terrorism, there remains a high risk of disruption of the LNG projects of the energy companies Total and Exxon Mobil on the shelf of Mozambique, estimated at $60 billion. Ambushes on the roads, the destruction of transport lines do not contribute to a healthy business climate, and the price tags for the protection of mining infrastructure, which are seized by the military, significantly increase the cost of production. And if Total has already passed all stages of approval, then Exxon Mobil has not yet completed the approval of its projects by the government. Combined with volatility in oil and gas prices, this could lead to catastrophic consequences for the economy, the Zangaro Today channel noted.

2019: Gas Production Agreement with Exxon Mobil

On October 8, 2019, it was announced that US energy giant Exxon Mobil would invest in a gas production project in Mozambique.

According to the project, the northeast coast of Mozambique will create infrastructure for the production and sale of LNG. According to Exxon estimates, the development of deposits will cost $30 billion.

The gas fields are located in the province of Kabu Delgadu, where extremist groups have been active for the past two years.

Cooperation with Russia

2023: Refusal to condemn Russia in Ukraine conflict

2020: Liquidation of the company that owes VTB $535 million

In October 2020, the Maputo Court (Mozambique) decided to liquidate the state-owned company Mozambique Asset Management, which owes VTB $535 million. Most likely, Russia will never see this money.

Debt can now be passed on to the Mozambican government. The African country is in economic distress.

The story of the debt is muddy and confusing. It was formed back in 2013-2014, when Mozambique borrowed about $2 billion from Swiss Credit Suisse, Russian VTB and French BNP for three Mozambican state-owned companies that bypassed parliament contracts for the purchase of marine and fishing equipment through the contractor Privinvest, owned by Franco-Lebanese businessman Iskandar Safa. The deal was overseen by the head of the Ministry of Finance Manuel Chang, who safely hid information about "tuna" bonds and loans. After the discovery of these funds, it turned out that the amount is equal to 20% of Mozambique's external debt, and the country declared a default.

2019: Russia forgives Mozambique 95% of debt

In August 2019, President of the Republic Filip Newsi announced this at a meeting with Russian businessmen.

2018: Exports from Russia to Mozambique $115 million

In 2018, exports from Russia to Mozambique amounted to just over $115 million.

R&D

2020: R&D expenses - $92 million

Mozambique IT Market

2022: More than 1 start-up

Agriculture

2019: Low use of pesticides in agriculture

Consumption

Meat

2023: Fish consumption is higher than meat consumption

Vegetables

2018: Vegetable consumption - 25 kg per capita

Alcohol market

Minimum age to purchase alcoholic beverages

Education

2019: Only 58% of the population can read

Health care

2023: Cholera outbreak

In the first 4 months, hundreds of people died of cholera in Malawi and Mozambique.

2021: Maternity leave

in

2020

Duration of guaranteed paid sick leave 6 months or more

Part of the population defecates on the street

HIV and AIDS

2020: Mozambique accounts for 6.5% of all new HIV infections worldwide

Crime

Drugs

2019: Mozambique drug situation causes international concern

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (Accounting of Charges and Payments) said Mozambique had become a transit point for transporting large volumes of illegal substances, especially heroin.

Berths on the Mozambican coast are increasingly being used to transport heroin from Afghanistan to other parts of the world, according to Cesar Guedes, Accounting of Charges and Payments representative in Mozambique.

The "Strategic Plan to Combat Transnational Organized Crime, Drugs and Terrorism" should provide Mozambique with international support to combat these crimes.

In December 2019, the Mozambique Coast Guard intercepted 1.5 tons of heroin. Drugs transported 15 Iranians. They set fire to the ship to destroy the evidence, and then jumped into the water.

Three smugglers have died, with the other 12 awaiting trial in a Mozambican prison.

Prisons

2019

Prisons are overcrowded 2 times the maximum capacity

Prisons in Mozambique are always overcrowded: their maximum capacity is almost 2 times exceeded.

Three prisoners died in August 2019 as a result of riots in a prison in the Mozambican city of Nampula.

The mutiny was triggered by a tear gas grenade accidentally fired by one of the guards.

The minimum age of imprisonment for children is 16 years

2018: Low number of prisoners per 100 thousand citizens

Terrorism

2024: IS militant offensive in northern Mozambique into Cabo Delgado

In January 2024, the activity of militants from the Mozambican branch of IS in the gas-rich northeastern province of Mozambique, Cabo Delgado, increased sharply.

Throughout 2023, their activities against the background of multiple failures were low and were limited to rare sorties.

While there was a lull in the region, the country's authorities said that Cabo Delgado was "95% safe" and that everything was prepared for the resumption of foreign projects for the production of liquefied natural gas, after which there was news of the signing of contracts between the Mozambican government and energy companies.

And the Southern African Development Community (SADC), in turn, announced the start of the withdrawal of its troops in July 2024.

In the wake of success, the Mozambican armed forces announced the planning of an operation to completely deprive terrorists of access to the sea.

These words, which actually meant the closure of smuggling channels - the main way radical Islamists earn money - became the reason for a new escalation of the conflict in the north-east of the country. The attacks intensified after news broke in late December of the killing of Muslim civilians by the Mozambican army.

During the offensive, militants captured the village of Mukojo, and the soldiers fled and, according to rumors, left the entire coast all the way to the city of Mosimboa da Praia unprotected.

Mukojo is an important strategic point, as it gives terrorists full access to the sea and control over the road going north along the coast. And control of this route also gives them access from the east to the Katupa Forest, which has long been a radical stronghold.

The army's attempts to recapture the village were interrupted by heavy rain, which made key roads impassable, hindering the movement of troops. Officially, for the same reason, the SADC contingent located in Macomia did not provide support.

The "dizziness of successes" and the decline of discipline at the local level entailed not only a decrease in the vigilance of government troops, but also criticism from local Muslims after news of the killing of peaceful villagers by the army, which led to the first successful offensive of militants in a long time.

The non-interference of the SADC contingent is explained not only by weather conditions, but also by the unwillingness to work side by side with possible "killers" of the civilian population on the eve of the withdrawal of troops in July, the Rybar channel wrote.

2020

Jihadist insurgency in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province has become a regional threat

The operational situation in northern Mozambique in May 2020 worsens day after day. The Southern African Development Community has already volunteered to assist the country in containing the threat spreading across the region.

The rebellious Mozambican province has already attracted many jihadist career fighters and radical preachers from the Middle East, as well as the countries of East and Central Africa - Somalia, DR Congo, Tanzania and Kenya.

The militants are confidently holding the strategic initiative. Proving capable of large symbolic actions - short-term seizures of the cities of Mosimboa da Praia and Kissanga, jihadists methodically isolate remote villages, block communication routes, access roads, roads and bridges, force local residents to cooperate, mainly young people, and kidnap women - in the manner of their colleagues in DR Congo.

To this end, they consistently destroy the government infrastructure and telecommunications equipment of the operators Vodacom and Movitel. In May 2020, the main guerrilla-terrorist activity is concentrated around strategically important cities - Mueda (on the Makonde plateau) and the port of Pemba (provincial capital).

The armed underground turned out to be out of the teeth of the Russian PMC Wagner and the South African specialists from the Dyck Advisory Group who replaced it. Mozambique's security forces, in general, were also powerless - over the years of the corrupt Frelimo, post-communist authorities have forgotten how to find a common language with the communities of the Swahili Mwani people - the main supplier of radicals to the regional terrorist underground.

The difficult jungle of the north of the country turned out to be impenetrable for reconnaissance equipment - in some forest militant camps it is so dark that you have to use rays and lamps in broad daylight, and rebel bases, in particular in the area of ​ ​ the river. Messalo, for a long time eluded reconnaissance helicopters.

This is largely a local phenomenon, driven by centuries of discrimination against Swahili-speaking Mwani Muslims. A typical portrait of an insurgent is Assumane Nwita, better known as Assumane Vipodosi ("cosmetics" with Swahali). In the 2000s, spurred by hunger, his parents - natives of the village of Olumbe - moved to Mosimboa da Praia and eventually settled in the village of Matola, where they worked in the fields for food. With difficulty graduating from high school due to financial troubles, Assuman dreamed of entering the university, counting on the help of his military brother, but as the eldest son was forced to sell wood and support his family under pressure from his father.

Assumane, along with friend Ngulungu, traveled extensively in trade affairs and eventually opened a beauty shop at a market in Nanduadua. Over time, Assoumane became a frequent visitor to Dar es Salaam, where he purchased cosmetics and joined radical sermons. Over the years, under the influence of the Salafis, he abandoned the "shameful" trade, helped build a mosque in Nanduadua, acquired connections in Tanzania and moved his children there. It was such people - young (at the time of entry into the underground Assuman was not even thirty), order embittered, mobile and active - formed the socio-psychological basis of the jihadist underground.

However, the structures of the Islamic State operating here since June 2019 have consistently strengthened their presence and are striving to reformat the underground in the way they have already managed to do in Nigeria - through the creation of stable quasi-state, fiscal and sabotage-intelligence (amniat) structures. Nevertheless, it is not worth exaggerating the IS factor, wrote the telegram channel Zangaro Today, - in the area of ​ ​ the cities of Mosimboa da Praia, Nangade, Muidumbe and Kissanga, as well as in the coastal strip, there are at least five large operational groups operating under the increasingly collective brand "Ahlu Sunna Jamo" and maintaining contacts with emissaries and IS structures.

Preparation for the military operation in Kabu Delgada with the participation of PMC Wagner

Taking advantage of the consequences of floods, for March 2020, militants are constantly expanding their range of operations, moving south and deep into the province and getting closer and closer to the regional capital - the city of Pemba.

At this time, the command structure of the cells operating in the region and their connection with the Middle East and Somali leadership of the Islamic State and al-Qaeda are still unclear. During this time, IS claimed responsibility for only 26 attacks in Kabu Delgada, with locals blaming the attacks on the Somali cross-border group Al-Shabab. This is most likely due to the fact that al-Shabab (ar. "Youth") in 2015-2016. became the self-name of the jihadist youth cells that originated in Mosimboa da Praia, apparently loosely associated with the Somali movement of the same name.

In part, the scarcity of data contributes to the government and power structures of Mozambique. Thus, the military and police deliberately block the leakage of any more or less important information into social networks and the media, detain journalists, seize and remove materials from electronic media.

It is felt that the government is in deep confusion. President Filipe Nyusi has previously announced his readiness to negotiate with terrorists. In addition, an agency for the comprehensive development of the North was created, providing for the socio-economic development of the three northern provinces, the creation of jobs for unemployed youth - the social base of partisan-terrorist structures.

In parallel, the authorities are preparing for the largest military operation in Kabu Delgadu in recent months, probably with the participation of Russian military specialists and the unofficial Russian PMC Wagner, which suffered heavy losses in the autumn and winter operations in the province. Thus, the Africa Intelligence resource reported on the arrival in Nakala on February 23 of a Russian transporter AN-124 with a military cargo on board, presumably with a Mi-17 combat helicopter.

Mozambique risks becoming a priority for IS's African leadership. At the beginning of 2020, IS structures with a total number of 2 thousand people operate in Central Africa, which are united in the Central African province of the Islamic State with a command center in Somalia and a range of operations in DR Congo and Mozambique. However, after the defeat of the IS-linked Madina al-Tawhid wa Muwahhidin in Congo, a number of militants and commanders of Congolese Islamists may be highly likely to move to Mozambique to develop the rear bases already existing there.

2019

Mozambique comes out on top in the world for Islamic terrorism dynamics

According to the ACLED service, in 2019 terrorist activity in Mozambique increased by 237%, the death toll - by 197%. The armed conflict in the province of Kabu Delgadu has already led to the death of over 900 people and the exodus of 100 thousand refugees.

PMC Wagner's botched operation in Mozambique

Since October 5, 2017, a jihadist uprising has raged in the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado. The government, shackled by years of confrontation with militants and dissidents of the opposition Renamo party, was unable to cope with the threat and began to seek help abroad.

The main competitors were the unofficial Russian PMC Wagner and the Hong Kong security company Frontier Services Group of the famous American mercenary Eric Prince, who registered his local branch, FSG Mozambique Segurança, in July 2019 with his Mozambican counterpart Lucilla Matsinho. But in the end, PMC Wagner won the tender, and FSG terminated cooperation with the Mozambique National Oil Company and left the country.

It is believed that an agreement in principle on cooperation with the Russians was reached during the visit of President Filipe Nyusi to Moscow in August 2019, when, in addition, bilateral contacts through the military-technical cooperation were discussed. However, it is also true that the Russians succeeded largely due to dumping, significantly knocking down the price of their services.

Be that as it may, at the end of September 2019, 200-300 Russian mercenaries arrived in the country, accompanied by three combat helicopters. Payment for their services, presumably, was covered from the $880 million tax received by the government from the redemption of Andarko's share by the French oil and gas company Total in the Mozambique LNG project.

However, as a result of the autumn operations, it turned out that Russian mercenaries were completely unprepared for the realities of the partisan-terrorist war, vividly reminiscent of the modus operandi of the Nigerian Boko Haram (with which, by the way, PMCs from South Africa are also unsuccessfully fighting), wrote the telegram channel Zangaro Today. In addition, a relatively high level of combat training and equipment of Ansar al-Sunna and other jihadist groups operating in the province was an unpleasant surprise. Having lost over 10 people killed and beheaded in ambushes, they were forced to retreat south to the province of Nampula. The failure was also affected by the lack of mutual understanding with the corrupt Mozambican military, pursuing their own interests in the region.

Moreover, the presence of Russians raises numerous questions from local residents and journalists, largely because the authorities, who for a long time hushed up the very problem of the smoldering jihadist underground, did not bother to clearly explain to citizens the goals of Russian specialists. And parliamentary opposition leader Osufu Momadi has openly expressed outrage at the Russian presence in the region. In fairness, neither is Eric Prince, who some accuse of fomenting a jihadist rebellion to secure lucrative security contracts for the FSG.

In 2023, the media wrote that PMC Wagner ceased operations in Mozambique in 2019 a few months after the start due to economic disagreements with the local government.

PMC Wagner in Mozambique was later replaced by South African specialists from the Dyck Advisory Group.

IS attack on Tanzania-Mozambique border. 6 people killed

According to Tanzanian police, in November 2019, militants from Mozambique gathered all residents of the village of Ngongo, located on an island on the Ruvuma River, and opened fire on them. Six people died, but many managed to escape.

The day before, jihadists had claimed the execution of 11 Mozambican army spies in the same locations.

ISIS executes 4 people

In July 2019, ISIS (an organization banned in the Russian Federation) announced the execution of 4 spies who collaborated with the Mozambican army, their houses were burned down as a result of a militant attack on the village of Makul, Mosimboa da Praia district in the north of the country.

History

2020: Cholera kills 20 in Mozambique

In February 2020, the disease spreads in three districts of the northern province of Mozambique, Cabo Delgado: Macomia, Mosimboa da Praia and Ibo.

Mozambique's Health Ministry believes the outbreak began on islands off the coast of Cabo Delgado, where people lived in unsanitary conditions to escape attacks by Islamist rebels on the mainland.

As of February 26, 273 cases of the disease associated with infection through water were diagnosed.

2019: Mozambique's President Filip Newsi wins re-election with 73% of the vote

Filip Newsi was re-elected with 73% of the vote, his Frelimo party will receive 184 seats in parliament.

The main opposition party Renamo disagrees with the results. She failed to win in any province. Its leader Osufo Momad received 22% of the vote, according to official data from Mozambique's electoral commission, which is 60 seats in the National Assembly.

The Mozambique Democratic Movement party won six seats and is also boycotting official results.

The overall voter turnout was 51%.

1914

Customs

Albinos

In September 2019, two Malawians were detained in the northern province of Mozambique after they were found to have 12 human bones.

They exhumed the bones and planned to sell them. There is a possibility that these were albino bones.

After all, there is a belief that the bones of albino are made of "golden dust."

Fighting "witchcraft"

Man who dug up remains of his relatives for sale arrested

In November 2019, a man was arrested in Mozambique who was digging up the remains of his relatives.

The suspect admitted to the police that it was an order from one businessman who promised a motorcycle and $300 for the remains of his relatives who died not from illness.

The man is in the police department of Nampula province, a case is underway. This is the fifth such case in a year. All of them are mainly related to witchcraft.

Murder on suspicion of witchcraft

In early October 2019, a court in Mashiche in southern Mozambique ordered the arrest of nine people accused of killing a 75-year-old man whom they buried alive on suspicion of witchcraft. The victim's son and nephew are among the detainees. The old man was forced to dig a grave where he was buried by members of his family.

Three years ago, a similar incident happened to the deceased. He was tied up and thrown into the river also on charges of witchcraft, but at that time the victim was saved.

Sport

2022: The most popular sport is football

in

Calendar