Monday, December 18, 2017

Christmas

Imagem relacionadaA Christmas tree built by schools in Maputo out of 7,000 plastic bottles aims to sensitise the Mozambican capital to the need to recycle waste, its makers said on Saturday.
In a country where recycling is still a rarity, first steps are being taken by environmental clubs like the one at the Maxaquene Comprehensive Primary School in Maputo.
“In the beginning, the students saw only garbage,” Inacio Joaquim, a teacher who teaches classes from nine to 13 years old explains, “but with time and the construction of pieces such as toys and carpets, they began to understand what recycling is.”Today they are separating waste, giving rise to the seven-meter Christmas tree which stands on the roundabout opposite the Museum of Natural History in the capital.
The initiative is already a regular part of the annual calendar of recycling activities, city of Maputo Education Department representative Sandra Machaieie says.
“Pieces are being produced throughout the year. Some are on display in schools, others are sold” to support the activities of the environmental clubs located in schools in all seven districts of the city, she said.

The Christmas tree is also one of the visible signs of the Millennium Bim bank’s social responsibility activity. The bank has financed the logistics of recycling activities in schools since 2007.“What matters most to us is to reach out to youth, because they are the ones who best transmit the message into their homes,” and bring enthusiasm to recycling, Maria João Barbosa, head of social responsibility at the bank, says.The “A clean city for me” project has already seen the participation of about 10,800 primary and secondary school students in the cities of Maputo, Matola, Vilanculos and Tete.

Mozambique Fashion Week

Resultado de imagem para Mozambique Fashion WeekThe current edition of Mozambique Fashion Week (MFW) will involve 62 models, of whom 60 are Mozambican and two international: one each from Angola and Japan.This edition, which started Friday, divides designers into four categories: ‘Young Designers’, with a total of 30; ‘International’ (seven); and ‘Established’ and ‘Pan-African’, with nine fashion designers each.
In the Young Designers category, the spotlight is on Jéssica, who has participated in MFW since 2011, as well as Aura Guimarães (2012) and Nuno Jota Jota (2013).
‘ Lado Negro da Crise’ [The Black Side of Crisis], ‘Afrikan Mind Power’ and ‘Cruzamento no Inverno’ [Crossing in Winter] are among the collections that the Young Designers will present on the 4th and 5th of December in Mozambique’s biggest fashion event.
In the list of Established appear Alberto Tinga, Anifa Cossa, Becapani, Gerson Ussene, Kamana Félix, Cicada Perrin, Nivaldo Thierry, Omar Adelino and Pinto Música.

Resultado de imagem para Mozambique Fashion WeekIn terms of years of participation in the MFW, highlight are Cigarra Perrin (2005), Kamana Felix and Becapani (2009) and Pinto Música, who has participated since 2011.The Pan-African category boasts designers from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Angola, Zambia, South Africa and Botswana, while ‘International’ stylists include Miguel Vieira, Storytailors, Anabela Baldaque, Federica Peternelj, Moda Italia, Maison Luigi Borbone and Kyuten Kawashima.The catwalk sessions will be interspersed with performances by national artists such as Jecky, Dopaz, Mauro, Tofo Tofo, Os do Momento, Dejavu, Blaze, Dama do Bling, Ziqo, Danny OG, Twenty Fingers, Lizha James, Gasso, Rui Michel, Xigubo and Sheila Mahoze.National DJs Tushimitsu, Leo, Supaman, Tay, Camilo, Fagusa, E.O.D and Rocha are slated to perform, alongside international stars DJ Tomaz, B Jones, Quentin Mosimann and Orjan Nilsen.

“in an environment of cordiality”

dhlakama.g1The Mozambican presidency announced yesterday in a statement that progress had been made in peace negotiations between the government and Renamo, the main opposition party, following a conversation between the head of state, Filipe Nyusi, and Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama.“During the interaction, the Mozambican head of state and the Renamo president focused on progress in the peace process and noted with appreciation that progress is being made towards mutual consensus and finalisation of the content of the documents to be agreed upon,” a statement issued by the presidency after the event reports.Filipe Nyusi travelled to the Chitengo camp in Gorongosa National Park, but did not meet the Renamo president face to face.“For organisational reasons, the meeting had to be held in an indirect manner, with the President of the Republic sending the Commander General of the Police as his envoy” to meet Dhlakama, the presidency’s statement relates.The document does not clarify why the conversation took place at a distance.

nyusi.g7Filipe Nyusi spoke with the opposition leader “through a teleconference that took place in an environment of cordiality,” it adds, without clarifying why the conversation had taken place at a distance.“The proposals on the process of decentralisation, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration should be presented to the Assembly of the Republic for discussion,” the presidency communique announces.According to the statement, “both leaders reaffirmed their unequivocal commitment to peace in Mozambique and foresaw a radiant future for all Mozambicans”.Following an escalation in the military conflict in the centre of the country in 2015 and 2016, a ceasefire was declared by Dhlakama in December, and relations between the Renamo leader and the president have improved.Negotiations for a new peace agreement were marked by a handshake between the two on Aug. 6, when Filipe Nyusi went to the Gorongosa mountains for a two-hour meeting with Afonso Dhlakama.

Bank card service in Mozambique

China UnionPay International launched a bank card service on Thursday here that will allow UnionPay cardholders to make transactions in Mozambique.The launch ceremony was attended by Chinese ambassador Su Jian, Bank of Mozambique Administrator Augusto Bila, the CEO of Société Générale Mozambique Laurent Vanh and members of the Chinese Enterprises Chamber in Mozambique.
Imagem relacionada“We want this card to make life easier for Chinese people in Mozambique. The UnionPay card is the most used card in China. The launch of UnionPay service is a way to attract one of the biggest economies in the world, which is China,” said Laurent Vanh to Xinhua.In turn, Augusto Bila said that the government has been consolidating international partnerships, in particular with China, which is a strategic partner in several areas.According to Bila, the Bank of Mozambique has been interacting with Union Pay International, a bank service provider since 2013, within the Sino-Mozambican bilateral cooperation framework.
“The launch of UnionPay that we are witnessing today marks a significant moment in the national payment system, as a result of the cooperation between Mozambique and China, a strategic partner for the country, as well as one of the most populous economies in the world,” said the administrator.Ambassador Su said that the partnership between the two countries has been fruitful. “China is currently the largest investor, one of the biggest financier and constructor in infrastructure and commercial areas in Mozambique,” said Su.

“This cooperation will continue through banking and financial institutions such as UnionPay International,” he added.According to the ambassador, the Chinese Enterprises Chamber in Mozambique has 60 member companies, besides which, there are still many small and medium enterprises in Mozambique in various areas.The UnionPay International, headquartered in Shanghai, has already provided card services in many African countries such as Ghana, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Madagascar.

Erik Prince!

Resultado de imagem para Erik PrinceUS businessman Erik Prince, chairperson of the Frontier Service Group, has pledged to invest in the bankrupt Mozambican Tuna Company, Ematum.At a Maputo press conference on Wednesday (to which AIM was not invited) Prince declared that his company will enter the Mozambican fisheries sector through Ematum, but did not state how many money he is prepared to invest.
Cited by the independent television station STV, Prince said “we are here to work and finalise details of a joint venture with the Mozambican government to develop and improve its fishing capacity in a sustainable, professional and ethical manner”.He added that FSG would work with Ematum “in training operations and changes in logistics so that we link Mozambique to the international fisheries market”.
Resultado de imagem para Erik PrincePrince said he also hoped to improve the protection of Mozambican marine resources against illegal operators.“We know there’s a lot of illegal fishing”, he said. “We hope to improve Mozambique’s capacity to protect its fisheries. We have agreements in this direction, but the details have not yet been finalised, although we are very close to doing so. We shall also look at other investment areas in Mozambique”.The largest shareholder in FSG s the Citic Group, an investment fund owned and controlled by the Chinese government. FSG has signed contracts to support China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative. This is a strategy proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, which is supposed to promote cooperation between countries of the Eurasian land mass.Prince is a founder of the US security company Blackwater (now known as Academi). Prince founded Blackwater in 1997 and was its chief Executive Office until 2010. It achieved notoriety in 2007 when a US court convicted four Blackwater employees of massacring 14 Iraqi civilians in Nisour Square, Baghdad.
Resultado de imagem para Erik Prince 
Ematum is one of three companies (the others being Proindicus and MAM, Mozambique Assets Management) which benefitted from loans of over two billion US dollars from the European banks Credit Suisse and VTB of Russia in 2013 and 2014. These loans were illicitly guaranteed by the Mozambican government of the time, headed by President Armando Guebuza. The guarantees were illegal because they smashed through the ceilings on government guarantees laid down in the 2013 and 2014 budget laws.Despite this huge injection of funds, the companies are not functioning and cannot possibly repay the loans. Under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the government accepted an independent international audit of the three companies, undertaken by Kroll Associates, reputedly the world’s foremost forensic auditing company, earlier this year.
Imagem relacionadaKroll’s audit report is a damning indictment. It revealed invoicing procedures that were grossly inadequate. The invoices for the assets and services provided by the Lebanese Privinvest Group to each of the three companies were just a page long.Kroll says it spoke to an industry expert who said invoices should include a clear and detailed description of all the assets and services provided. “The invoices provided to Kroll do not supply sufficient detail to gain comfort that the documents accurately reflect the true price of these assets and services, and therefore do not allow accurate accounting records to be maintained by the company”, the audit report notes.There was no sign that the inventory of assets required by the Mozambican Commercial Code had been kept, and the companies failed to provide Kroll with reliable balance sheet records – in breach of Article 60 of the Code which requires companies “to prepare an annual balance sheet of assets and liabilities during the first three months of the immediately following year, to enter it into the inventory and balance sheet records, and to duly sign it”.Regardless of the Kroll audit, the three companies had a legal duty to publish audited accounts every year. There are accounts for Ematum for the 2013 and 2014 financial years, but nothing for 2015 or 2016 (and nothing at all for the other two companies).

Imagem relacionadaKroll checked the state of the assets and found that, while they had mostly been delivered, they were not functioning properly. Ematum had a fleet of 24 fishing boats (21 longliners and three trawlers) “but none of the assets are fully operational for several reasons, including a lack of trained crew, and the limitation on available working capital”, Kroll said.As a result Ematum has done hardly any fishing, and has struggled to pay wages to its workers.The government’s Economic and Social Plan for 2018, discussed earlier this week in the Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, predicts that commercial vessels (i.e. Ematum) will fish 1,000 tonnes of tuna in 2018. The projection for artisanal fishermen, who do not have state-of-the-art fishing vessels builT in European shipyards, and have not benefitted from gigantic loans from European banks, is that they will bring in 2,870 tonnes of tuna.Currently the Ematum vessels are not putting out to sea, but are lying idle in Maputo fishing port.

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Why does not Prime Rate go down?

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The interest rates practiced by commercial banks have long outstripped the Mozambican effort, ranging from 26% to 75.5%. Despite this, the central bank, which has reduced some of its leading rates, has not altered its prime rate, which is the index base for the cost of money in Mozambique. "Lowering interest rates is not only a decision of the central bank that is taken in the void it reflects an analysis of the conditions at all times and in society," tried to clarify Rogério Zandamela. But economist Fernanda Massarongo Chivulele argues that "the focus on controlling inflation and the consequent restrictive monetary measures have a positive effect on the performance of commercial banks, with increased costs for the private sector and Mozambican families." National citizens and companies that have credit products in one of the 20 commercial banks operating in our country are suffocated. Since the end of 2015, leasing or factoring interest rates on housing or consumer loans have deteriorated. Before the discovery of the unconstitutional and illegal loans of Proindicus and MAM, which precipitated the economic and financial crisis in which we are plunged, the Prime Rate stood at 19.5% at the moment, this unique index for the Mozambican Financial System, is established at 27.5%. But to calculate the cost of money in addition to the Prime Rate is added the spread of each of the commercial banks. The most expensive Spreads on the market are practiced by microfinance institutions with Opportunity Bank to head, charging up to 48%, added to the 27 , 5% of the Prime Rate, for consumer loans and for short or long term loans. Also high are the Spreads of Socremo Bank that charges 42.25% credits for credits to Housing or Consumption and also for loans of I enjoy. Long-term loans add up to 40.25% to Prime Rate.

Resultado de imagem para Rogério ZandamelaAmong the so-called "big five" of Mozambican commercial banks that have surpassed the universal "effort rate" threshold, which is the recommended limit for a customer to pay for a loan and is established worldwide in one third of fixed income, Banco Comercial e de Investimentos (BCI), which charges up to 40% in consumer loans and 39% in short and long-term loans. Also unbearable for an honest worker are the Millennium BIM interest rates, which charge up to 39.5 % in consumer loans up to 38.5% in long-term loans and may reach 37.3% in short-term loans. Equally high are Standard Bank interest rates which may reach 38.75% for loans to consumer spending and short-term loans, and reaches 37.75% in leasing or factoring and also in long-term loans. In the face of this asphyxiating scenario, not only for citizens but also for small and medium-sized enterprises following the central bank's Monetary Policy Committee meeting on Thursday (26) and "decided to reduce the MIMO rate by 50 basis points to 21.00%. Additionally, the agency reduced the rates of the Permanent Settlement Facility (CSF) and the Permanent Deposit Facility (FPD) by 50 basis points to 22.00% and 15.50%, respectively, as well as the Compensation Reserve Coefficient ( RO) for liabilities in national and foreign currency by 100 basis points, to 14.00%, "the Bank of Mozambique questioned why the Prime Rate does not fall?
"If you remember the definition of Prime Rate also includes a part of the interest rate that reflects monetary policy decisions, the MIMO rate is very much attached. So it is expected that the Prime Rate will also decline, but it is not the only component of Prime Rate, but everything else if nothing changes in principle Prime Rate should also fall as a result of the measure we take if other factors that also determine the Prime Rate do not change. But it is a combination of policy decisions, market decisions and credit institutions, it is not that the Bank (of Mozambique) forces a Prime Rate "tried to clarify Rogério Zandamela.
Resultado de imagem para Rogério Zandamela
Tax consolidation and state reforms condition declines in interest rates. 
Faced with insistence and the question whether interest rates would not be unbearable, Zandamela acknowledged that "interest rates remain high. They are high, we have recently been reducing, but they are not yet at the levels we would like to see. We believed that at this time of year the short-term interest rates, which are those we control, would be at relatively lower levels than those we are today. " "But unfortunately for a combination of factors, both domestic and international, risk factors, the conditions were not designed for that to happen. That would be irresponsible on our part, within the Legislator's mandate, to lower interest rates in a way that does not reflect the reality we face, "said the Governor of the Bank of Mozambique. Zandamela also revealed that "if there is one thing that we debate intensely and emotionally, with all the necessary passion is the question of the level of interest rates. And we always ask ourselves what can we do, Banco de Moçambique, so we can lower interest rates to levels that society wants and asks for, and what is needed. The conditions are not only monetary part, it is the fiscal, they are reforms. So the process of fiscal consolidation and certain reforms, which have already begun and have been happening, was slower than anticipated. " Without pointing a finger at the reforms and actions that belong to the government of Filipe Nyusi Rogério Zandamela explained that the central bank can not "lower interest rates without these conditions existed, would be shot a shot in the foot, we would go back in terms of loss of reserves, in terms of greater volatility in the exchange, in terms of higher inflation than we have today. We have today inflation on a single digit because it was a great result of this caution that we have, and since our main objective as a central bank is low inflation, in the interest of society, we have been prudent and we will continue to be prudent ".

Banco de Moçambique's monetary policy protects profits of commercial banks during the crisis.

"But I also want to be frank, as I said we have inflationary tendencies that are there, we do not know what magnitude they are. There are risks that could materialize that we can not even define them today, so it is up to us again, fulfilling the mandate that the Legislator did not give, if the technical evaluation of the situation is such that it compels us, it is not what we want to do , we will have to do what we have to do, this is our position. 
Resultado de imagem para Rogério Zandamela"The Governor of the Bank of Mozambique also stated that" I hope and I pray that we will not go there tendency, but if that is what conditions demand we will have to act. In summary, lowering interest rates is not only a decision of the central bank that is taken in the void it reflects an analysis of the conditions at all times and in society. "But according to economist Fernanda Massarongo Chivulele" monetary policy focused on the inflationary aggregates and the exchange rate ends up being another barrier that undermines the development possibilities of a private sector (financed by the domestic financial sector) that can respond to domestic demand, replace imports and thus reduce pressures on the balance On the other hand, the economist who studies the behavior of interest rates in Mozambique for several years argues in an article in the publication of the Institute of Social and Economic Studies (IESE) "Challenges for Mozambique 2017", noted that "the monetary policy, to a certain extent, protects banks' profits at a time when Mozambique's economy to some shock. That is, the focus on inflation control and the consequent restrictive monetary measures, which include increases in benchmark interest rates in times of economic shock or increase in Treasury bills, have a positive effect on the performance of commercial banks, with increased costs for the private sector and Mozambican families.

TRANSPARENCY IN RESOURCES

The Mozambican government on Monday reiterated its commitment to transparency in the management of mineral resources, through the popularisation and national ownership of the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI). To this end, according to the National Director of Geology and Mines, Elias Xavier Daudi, it is crucial to publicise good quality information about EITI, its nature and its goals, and how it is being implemented in Mozambique. He was speaking at the official launch of the project to strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations about EITI, and particularly its communication component.
“We hope that Mozambican citizens will have access to more good quality information and more spaces for debate and collective learning about EITI, so that they may take ownership of it and transform it into their banner”, said Daudi, “marking the collective commitment to transparent management of our natural resources, as we move towards sustainable and inclusive development”.
He stressed that, in granting greater visibility and public knowledge to EITI, the project intends to contribute to national ownership of the mechanism, from a perspective of freeing it from the image of an outside body, and “fully integrating it into the institutional structure of the state”.

The official take-off of this project coincided with publication of the first educational brochure and first information bulletin about EITI.EITI describes itself as “the global standard to promote the open and accountable management of oil, gas and mineral resources”, which “seeks to address the key governance issues of the oil, gas and mining sectors”.EITI requires governments and companies to disclose information on oil, gas and mining revenues. The key disclosures are how much money companies in the extractive industry claim to pay to governments, and how much the governments say they receive. Any discrepancies must be explained. Each EITI implementing country must publish to an annual report disclosing information on such matters as contracts and licenses, production, and revenue collection and allocation.Mozambique is one of 53 EITI implementing countries, and has been declared EITI-compliant since 2012.

AFTER MOCIMBOA DA PRAIA ATTACKS

According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, about 100 people have been detained in connection with the abortive islamist uprising in Mocimboa da Praia district on 5 October, reports Tuesday’s issue of the independent daily “O Pais”.50 of these detentions have been formalised, and he detainees will stand trial. The delays in the other cases, the Public Prosecutor said, is because everything is being done to ensure that the detainees enjoy the right of defence.A prosecution source told the paper that the great majority of the detainees are Mozambican citizens, and they include some women. However, there are some foreigners – but the source did not reveal how many, or from which countries they came.Furthermore, the attacks in Mocimboa da Praia, in which 16 people died (two policemen, a community leader and 13 islamists), did not come as a complete surprise. The source said there had been earlier disturbances in the district of Chiure, where “we had cases of individuals who were using religion to commit certain acts which, as far as we are concerned, are contrary to the established order in the Republic of Mozambique”.Some of the people arrested in Chiure were brought to trial and sentenced. The source gave no further details. This is the first time there has been any mention of the Chiure islamist disturbances in the Mozambican media.Last week the Cabo Delgado provincial government met with the local moslem community to discuss the Mocimboa da Praia attacks. The provincial branch of the Islamic Council of Mozambique denounced the attacks and promised to collaborate with the authorities to ensure peace and stability.According to information reaching “O Pais” about the meeting, the Islamic Council stressed that the events in Mocimboa da Praia “bring no dignity to the moslem community, much less to the Islamic Council”.The Council agreed to send opinions to the government about any moslem organisation entering or working in Mozambique. The meeting underscored the need to strengthen collaboration between the police and religious and community leaders, in order to prevent further illegal acts.

Changes in secreta

In a post-Congress reshuffle triggered by ill health and the need to prepare for the integration of Renamo forces, President Filipe Nyusi last week appointed new heads in the military, police and security services. Lagos Lidimo steps down as director general of the State Intelligence and Security Service (SISE), while Graca Chongo retires as armed forces (FADM) Chief of Staff. Both are known to be seriously ill. And the deputy commander of the national police (PRM), Jose Weng San, died two weeks ago after a lengthy illness. Lazaro Menete, formerly commander of the army, is promoted to be the new armed forces head, replacing Chongo. Prior to his army service, he was a rear admiral and navy commander. The armed forces deputy chief of staff Raul Dique was named by Nyusi last year, and is one of the senior officers who came from Renamo after the 1992 peace accord. Menete is replaced as army commander by Ezequiel Muianga, former chief of staff of the Presidential Guard.
Julio dos Santos Jane, who had been named police commander by Nyusi in March 2016, replaces Lidimo as head of SISE. He is a lawyer who received military training in the USSR. During the 1982-92 war, Jane was in charge of the military unit protecting Maputo and successfully repelled Renamo. (O Pais, 4 Mar 2016) Jane was later marginalised by Guebuza. Bernardino Rafael, formerly head of the Maputo City Police, was promoted to police commander to replace Jane. Timoteo Bernardo, formerly head of the Manica provincial police, becomes the new police deputy commander, replacing Weng San.


Comment: This reshuffle confirms that Nyusi finally consolidated his power at the Frelimo Congress, nearly three years after he took office as President. But it also is looking ahead to the integration of Renamo into the military and security services.In an attempt to remove key people linked to former President Armando Guebuza, Nyusi looked back to people of the Chissano generation, who were relatively old but had no loyalty to Geubuza. Lidimo had been made armed forces chief of staff by Chissano and was sacked by Guebuza in 2008. Lidimo was born in 1950 and was already ill when Nyusi pulled him out of retirement early this year to reduce the Guebuza influence in SISE.Jane is from Manica, but has been a personal friend of Nyusi since the time he was provincial police commander in Nampula and Nyusi was head of the northern railways. Lidimo was appointed in part because he was Makondi and it seemed important to use his Makondi backers to consolidate control of SISE – and now seems to have always been a short term appointment. By contrast, naming Jane gives Nyusi personal control of SISE.It now appears there is at least outline agreement with Afonso Dhlakama on integration of Renamo generals and soldiers into the army, police and SISE, and that this will need to start early next year. This is a is a touchy issue, both because hard-liners, notably in the Guebuza wing of Frelimo, had opposed this, and because Dhlakama felt, with some justification, that his generals and soldiers were marginalised in the new joint army in 1994.Thus Nyusi appears to be appointing people who are both loyal to him and willing to seriously integrate Renamo. Menete was only named army commander in June 2016, but Nyusi used the installation ceremony to say that reconciliation inside the armed forces (FADM) is one of the great victories achieved by the Mozambican people: “this reconciliation, which today joins together officers who yesterday were on opposing sides, must continue to inspire the values of inclusion and professionalism inside the family of the defence and security forces”. A clear message that Menete would oversee integration.Much of the fighting against Renamo in 2015/16 was done by the special police riot squad, and not by the army, which was limited to ineffective shelling of Dhlakama’s mountain headquarters. Thus Renamo is unlikely to have personal grudges against Manete. Under President Joaquim Chissano, Mozambique intentionally kept only a weak army, in part to prevent a military coup. Few soldiers from either side joined the new army in 1994 but many officers did, and they had with little to do. Guebuza built up a larger military, with weaponry bought partly with the $2 bn secret loan. The obvious choice now would be to return to the Chissano model – an ineffectual military which could allow Renamo generals in senior positions because all army posts would be sinecures.

Friday, October 20, 2017

AIRCRAFT BY WILDLIFE SMUGGLERS

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The use of aircraft by smugglers in wildlife products is a threat, not only to biodiversity, but also to airport security, declared Mozambican Transport Minister Carlos Mesquita on Wednesday. Citing data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Mesquita said that in 2016, in airports across the world, around 16,000 live animals were seized from traffickers, as well as over 5,300 kilos of ivory and rhinoceros horns.
Speaking in Maputo on the occasion of IATA day, the minister said this had become a serious challenge for aviation, posing safety problems for flights, apart from the decimation of endangered wild life.The figures from IATA, he added, greatly concern the Mozambican government and he called for redoubled effort to stop the use of aircraft for the trafficking in wildlife and wildlife products. Mesquita also called for the establishment of strategic partnerships between air companies in order to reduce operational costs and create conditions for the opening of new markets by African companies.
Resultado de imagem para IATA moçambiqueAs for the liberalisation of Mozambican air space, Mesquita said this should be accompanied by investments in Mozambican air companies so that they can face an increasingly competitive environment. But he believed that the entry of new operators in the Mozambican domestic market will bring benefits for the mobility of people and goods and will contribute to the development of tourism.Mesquita added that the Mozambican government has been taking measures to ensure that the country can reach the norms and standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). These efforts bore fruit in May this year, when the European Union removed Mozambican air companies from the list of airlines not allowed to fly in European air space.

BELIEF IN VAMPIRES

Imagem relacionadaRumours of vampirism have led to violent disturbances in the town of Gile, in the central Mozambican province of Zambezia, according to a report in Thursday’s issue of the electronic paper “Txopela”, published in the provincial capital, Quelimane. Rioting in the town has been so serious that the Gile district administrator has been forced to flee. The Zambezia provincial governor, Abdul Razak, confirmed on Thursday morning that the administrator has taken refuge in the neighbouring district of Alto Molocue.
Resultado de imagem para gile mocambique
The rumours of vampires have been circulating for the past three months, and the disturbances seem to have begun last week when a mob attacked the home of a businessman in the locality of Muiane, accused of being a vampire. The crowd looted the shop, then vandalised the homes of the head of the Muiane administrative post and of the local secretary of the ruling Frelimo Party.
When the mob turned its attentions to the Muiane police station, the police opened fire and dispersed them.
Resultado de imagem para distrito do gileThe spokesperson for the provincial police command, Miguel Caetano, told reporters at a press briefing in Quelimane on Monday that five people had been arrested in Muiane for spreading the rumours about vampires and inciting disorder. The police also recovered five motor-cycles, several computers and other electrical equipment stolen in the Muiane rioting.Caetano urged the public not to fall into the traps set by individuals who, under cover of night, spread the rumour that vampires are after their blood. He said those who spread the rumour did so in order to frighten people, and steal their property.His words fell on deaf ears, and on Wednesday much more serious rioting broke out in Gile town, where a crowd wrecked the district government offices and attacked government officials who are supposedly collaborating with the vampires.Not only the administrator but lower level officials, accused of hiding the true identities of the vampires, have fled from their offices and homes and taken shelter in the bush.The police reacted, but, according to the paper’s sources, the result was the death of two children, caused by what were described as “stray bullets”. Caetano called another press conference in Quelimane and admitted that the situation in Gile was “utter chaos”. He said the police are trying to restore order, and urged calm. Caetano said the rioting was the result of deliberate disinformation, caused by people who wanted to take advantage of the disorder in order to steal property.The vampire rumour may have reached Zambezia from neighbouring Malawi, where mobs killed five people suspected of being vampires earlier this month, leading the government to impose a nighttime curfew in the south of the country.

PROVIDE SERVICES TO GAS INDUSTRY

The Mozambican government on Thursday urged private businesses to develop the capacity to provide services to the hydrocarbon companies operating in the country.Speaking in Maputo at the opening of the Fourth Edition of the Mozambique Gas Summit, the Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Augusto Fernando, said Mozambicans must be trained to handle the various fronts of the natural gas projects now under way and to cooperate with hydrocarbon companies operating the gas fields. 
Resultado de imagem para gas moçambiqueFor Fernando, the opportunities should be created not only in the extraction of the natural gas, but mainly in setting up the chemical and other industries which can make intensive use of the gas.“The natural gas that we shall produce should be a fundamental weapon for the real development of Mozambique through the training and capacity building of human capital”, he stressed. The gas projects, Fernando added, are key for job creation and for setting up business opportunities for Mozambican small and medium enterprises. The memoranda of understanding which the government has signed with its strategic partners, he continued, should catapult production of fuel, fertilisers and energy. Using Mozambican raw materials to produce fuel would cut the fuel import bill, reducing the country’s exposure to international fuel prices.  As for fertilisers, Fernando said these would stimulate agricultural production, while energy produced from natural gas would help the development of the northern part of the country “which has a great energy deficit”.  “In the context of SADC (Southern African Development Community), in addition to the national energy strategies, we must also have an overall regional vision, about the existing energy resources, and how they should be used in a rational fashion”, urged Fernando.For his part, the Deputy Chairperson of the Confederation of Mozambican Business Associations (CTA), Alvaro Massinga, said that in September the CTA launched the Business Support Office (GAE), intended to support Mozambican companies in matters concerning the supply of goods and services to major industries, particularly the extractive industry. “We believe that with this intervention”, he said, “the current scenario of suppliers in this industry, marked by poor access of Mozambican companies, will be reversed, creating conditions for Mozambicans to benefit from immediate and future business opportunities”. 

Monday, October 9, 2017

Value to primary sector

Imagem relacionadaThe Mozambique Confederation of Economic Associations (CTA) yesterday backed adding value to primary agricultural products as one potential response to the country’s slide to penultimate place in a global competitiveness index.“One of the factors contributing to the economy’s competitiveness which is being neglected is the fact that Mozambique has grown on the basis of raw material exports,” the country’s main employers’ association said in a statement distributed yesterday.“In this regard, we strongly support the policy announced by the government, reducing Mozambique’s economic dependence by adding value to primary products,” it added.According to the CTA, sectors linked to primary production are “very demanding in terms of concerted policies, both in terms of infrastructure, as well as access to financial products and services, and education and workforce training”.This being the case, the confederation suggests that business clusters be established close to the country’s development corridors, in areas with “a little of everything in terms of comparative advantages: water, fertile land and easy access to the sea”.Mozambique has fallen three places in the latest edition of the World Economic Forum’s global competitiveness ranking, released on Wednesday. From ranking 13th among 138 countries in the 2016-17 index, it has fallen to 136th in a universe of 137.

Nozzle!!! Relegious Extremism?

Imagem relacionadaThe Mozambican police have re-established control over the town of Mocimboa da Praia, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, where attacks by Islamic extremists occurred on Thursday, reports the independent television station STV.Life in the town is beginning to return to normal, and people who had hidden from the attackers in the nearby bush are returning to their homes. The police, who are still scouring the area for surviving members of the attacking group, have imposed a night curfew, and are inspecting all vehicles entering the town.Long distance bus traffic has resumed, but the police now insist that all passengers must pass through the police station and all bags must be checked.Mocimboa da Praia residents, including local moslem leaders, told STV they had been aware of the existence of the extremist group since 2014, and had warned the authorities repeatedly about them. They confirmed that the group used the same name as the Somali terrorist group, Al-Shabaab.STV’s sources said the members of the group are Mozambicans, mostly from Mocimboa da Praia, but with some from other districts in the north of Cabo Delgado, including Macomia, Palma and Nangade.STV was shown two makeshift mosques used by the group, one in what seemed to be an abandoned, half-finished building, and the other in a flimsy wooden shelter. The group had its own koranic school, and ordered its members not to send their children to Mozambican state schools.
Resultado de imagem para mocimboa da praia airportThe group wanted to impose “islamic law”, and wanted to demolish the statues in Mocimboa da Praia that honour the country’s heroes, including the founder of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), Eduardo Mondlane, and Mozambique’s first President, Samora Machel. They also wanted no Christian churches in the town.The moslem leaders had no hesitation in describing the group’s actions as “terror”. National moslem leaders also distanced themselves from the raiders. Sheikh Amin Mohamed, head of the Mozambique Islamic Council (CISLAMO), told STV “Islam has nothing to do with this”, and demanded stern punishment for the Mocimboa da Praia attackers. According to the police, the death toll from the Thursday clashes stands at 16 – two policemen and 14 members of the “Al-Shabaab” group. The number of guns recovered from the raiders is now five.The latest gun seized came from a wounded “Al-Shabaab” fighter who had taken refuge in a tree. He claimed he had been promised 2,500 meticais (about 40 US dollars) for taking part in the attack.Cited by Radio Mozambique, this man claimed he was not a member of the organization. “I was sitting down when these people with guns came past and invited me to go with them to Mocimboa da Prais”, he said. “I accepted because I too wanted to go to Mocimboa. But when we advanced, they gave me this gun”.

Resultado de imagem para Cabo Delgado
In an earlier explanation of the Pinnacle news, we clarify how it works and it is summarized that the Islamic beliefs which, from Muslim believers profess, do not agree with idols and symbols of the state. As an example, the national flag, the swastikas, the National heroes and even others belonging to other religious beliefs. For this, these instructions are given to everyone including their descendants. Therefore, these explanations are easy to repudiate, as long as schools are not abandoned or any kind of social conflict is resolved, in ways which the Mozambican Government believes.
Imagem relacionadaOn the one hand, this religious belief has no support from outside, as one might think. The Pinnacle News searched but found no link. Now, purchases of arms in black markets and, above all, unregistered arms were acquired with dirty money and in exchange for ivory, for example, and that various quantities of them entered Tanzania. In fact, the idea was for the buyers, to give more weapons so that the slaughters were in great quantity. And the rules have become so sophisticated.
HOW LONG IS THE AL-SHABAABS IN CABO DELGADO
Al-Shabaabs have existed in Mozambique for over three years. One can believe that the origin was in Macomia and in the town of Quiterajo where two brothers and successful in the businesses of grocery, sale and purchase of fish and denominated Abacar and Abdala, obtained their first 8 to be first 10 members. (See the photo of the place where the Al-Shabaabs' headquarters ever worked).
Al-Shaabe_QuiterajoAs you can see, in a Pacato district, far from SISE as well as any suspicion of being noticed.
In fact, this house belonged to the first wife of Bacar, who was caught in the rescue raids of some Al-Shabaab members yesterday (09 October), by the Police. The same, used shortcuts where the ANADARKO intends to make asphalt road for from Palma to Pemba City. The Police, had information on his absence and ambushed him, having this and other members, been neutralized, in a dense forest.
HOW AND WHERE DO THEY SUSPECT HAVE ENTERED THE NEW WEAPONS THAT THEY USED FOR THE FIRST ATTACK?
Tanzania is evident. Via Tanzania and even the true instructors. And these brothers went two or three times a year, using permits, to enter and leave Tanzania. The weapons were placed in sacks of grain and without passengers. No police were late to search them when they passed. "A family member of the divorced wife of Bacar has been confined to us, now imprisoned in Mocímboa. Two open box and Canter brand cars were used for many of the actions summarized in the Mocímboa collision. One is in the hands of the police of the same district and the other, the drift and with one of the brothers member and believer of the case in question.
WHERE WOULD YOU TRAIN TO PERFECT?
The woods of Macomia are vast and first, they were considered as Islamic poachers. The guns were seen by the local population and the fruit of the hunts, they could do much more. There are so many wild animals and giants that were slaughtered in Macomia by these "Muslims" in training. Popular parties (Mucojo, Quiterajo, Pangane) did not have the idea that they were military drills.
Resultado de imagem para Cabo Delgado
HOW AND WHY MOCIMBOA OF THE BEACH
Among the possible answers, 95% of Mocímboa da Praia's Municipalities are Muslims. Data from the new general population census can confirm this. In addition, they speak the same language and it was intended that in the language Kimwani, Maconde, Macua or Kiswahil, the message on the implantation of the religious ceita that retains principles of Al-Shabaabs, would be easy and in a short time. It was tried by democratic means and convinced each of the Muslims and Conservatives of the Qur'an but it was time to press for arms.
WHERE WAS THE EYE OF THE CONFLICTS IN MOCIMBOA BEACH
It was in the most populous and historic neighborhood of that Municipality. This is the Nandwadwa neighborhood where there is the barracks, the iconic mosque they built and in the terminal phase, the spaces reserved for the barracks to function in classrooms, the largest market in Mocímboa, a large part of the state's infrastructure, mainly .
Resultado de imagem para Cabo DelgadoWHAT HAS BEEN THE CURRENT SITUATION AFTER THE FIRST DAY OF THE ATTACKS
Imagem relacionadaThe police managed to unfold and control the situation. In the spaces where they met and received food, concretely in Mocímboa and Macomia, are momentarily closed and depopulated.Today, for example (October 8), a police contingent that was in two cars, patrolled in Messalo's paddy field, and Macomia, had information that part of insurgents from Mocímboa would enter Macomia. In fact, from Mucojo to Mocímboa da Praia, by sea, there are four (4) miles, which is to say, less than six kilometers. And it was the same way that the rifles came into that district and into the muted.
TO THE CAPTURED, HOW TO JUDGE THEM TO GET GAINS?
If there were conditions, the Pinnacle news proposes a pre-religious judgment. That is, with a judge who communicates fluently in the Arabic language, use the coping on the day of judgment, take the time to work on the minds, let them believe that there is hope. If there is no qualified Judge such as the Pinnacle News proposes, there should be elected judges molded ...
WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF MOCIMBOA RESIDENTS OF THE BEACH
Imagem relacionadaIn this same publication of the Pinnacle News, we offer a tassel, a faithful publication about who they were or who they are, what they want and with whom, how they enliven them, where they have already operated in Cabo delgado and premeditated what they are still capable of doing.Neither is the Government able to know, how many rifles were hidden in the woods, when they were on the run.
It is believed that the Government will be attentive to this cause, henceforth. To this end, SISE and other traditional influences will work or will be activated, for Mozambican patriotic integrity. Note that in the coastal zone of the Province of Cabo Delgado, and especially in conflict zones, by conflicts, no one wants to leave a big beard or use "malia" or "hijab", reasons to believe that some lesson has entered and will take time ... !

Good parts of the members of the Al-Shabaabs are young teenagers, "believers", rational and capable ...

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Banana plantation with $1.5m

Today, AgDevCo announced its investment into Citrum SA to develop an export-focused banana operation owned and managed by a local team.AgDevCo is teaming up with Nika, a group of experienced Mozambican investors, to rehabilitate a banana plantation with the intention of increasing the hectarage and yields. Production will be sold in the local market as well as exported to South Africa. The farms are currently producing various citrus fruits, and the banana plantation will be rehabilitated to become the main focus of Citrum. 
Imagem relacionada
In all, over 140 workers will be employed by the farm, and the company is committed to promote real gender equality at work with key positions being occupied by women, including that of General Manager.The funding from AgDevCo will finance capital expenditures, including irrigation, and operational costs related to the development plan. This investment will go a long way towards building one of the only Mozambican-run banana farms in the country. Nika have plans to create further agribusinesses and to foster local investments in the sector.
Carmen Ramos, Citrum General Manager, said “I am very proud of working with this strong and experienced group of investors and with Citrum which has a long and known history in Mozambique. The farms have a good potential for agriculture and its fruits enjoy good market access and customer success in Maputo. I hope to contribute positively to this ambitious project, and so do the workers at Citrum who are also very enthusiastic.”
Resultado de imagem para Arnaldo Ribeiro maputoArnaldo Ribeiro, Nika Director, said “I believe in the success of this investment because there is a growing market close to us, an experienced team managing the business and the two farms have very good growing conditions for bananas. Moreover, the Mozambican investors grouped in Nika and AgDevCo all have a sound experience in managing agribusinesses in Mozambique.”
Rui Sant’ana Afonso, AgDevCo Mozambique Country Director commented, “The Nika team has a successful track record and is dedicated to making this investment succeed. We are very excited to support and develop Citrum. We believe that it will become a flagship project and encourage more local investors into the commercial agriculture sector.”The UK Government, through DFID, provides funding to AgDevCo, for investment in agricultural SMEs and new agribusiness ventures in Africa. This will benefit hundreds of thousands of people across the continent, including Zambia, with jobs and better incomes, linking farmers to markets and helping to increase food security.
About AgDevCo

AgDevCo is a social impact investor and agribusiness project developer, incorporated as a not-for-profit distribution company in the United Kingdom. With support from UKAid, AgDevCo invests patient capital in the form of debt and equity into early-stage agribusinesses. AgDevCo’s mission is to reduce poverty and improve food security, and it has invested over USD 100 million in 58 agribusinesses in sub-Saharan Africa to date, connecting more than 240,000 farmers to markets and generating 7,675 jobs.

POLICE ADMIT FOUR DEATHS IN MANDIMBA

The Mozambican police on Tuesday admitted that four people died on Monday morning, when police opened fire on rioters in the town of Mandimba, in the northern province of Niassa.
Resultado de imagem para Mandimba Niassa mapaImagem relacionadaAccording to the spokesperson for the General Command of the police, Inacio Dina, speaking at his weekly press briefing in Maputo, the police did not intend to kill the rioters, but were obliged to open fire to prevent them from attacking the district police command and seizing the firearms stored there. 
His statements contradict those of the Niassa Provincial Police command, which initially claimed that no-one had died.In addition to the deaths, seven of the demonstrators were injured, four of them seriously. The angry crowd set fire to the house of the district police commander, and in the clashes two police cars, seven motor-cycles and 12 bicycles were destroyed.
Dina said the police were faced with a crowd armed with stones, knives and similar weapons. He described the shots that killed the four demonstrators as “stray bullets”.

Resultado de imagem para Mandimba
The demonstration was “illegal”, Dina added. The crowd had marched to the district police command to demand an explanation for the murder, the previous day, of a man who made his living out of informal currency trading. His family claimed that the police were involved in the murder.Dina claimed that the police are already working to solve this murder. He said there had been lengthy attempts to persuade the crowd not to embark on violent action, but to no avail. He called on citizens to respect the police authorities and the other bodies of the administration of justice, since “it is these bodies who guarantee the day-to-day safety of the public”.Dina announced that two senior officers from the General Command have gone to Mandimba to analyse the circumstances of the riot. He added that the situation in the town has now returned to normal.