Parliament passes revision of Law on Prevention and Combat of Money

The Assembly of the Republic this Thursday (10-08) voted in favour, in general and by consensus, on the revised Law on Prevention and Combat of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism.The revision aims to adapt and accommodate the recommendations of the Post-Observation Period Report by the International Co-operation Review Group (ICRG) of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and conform Mozambican legislation on the regime for preventing and combating money laundering, financing of terrorism, and financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Natural and legal persons, legal persons without legal personality, non-profit organisations, financial institutions and non-financial entities with headquarters in the national territory are now obliged to adopt measures to prevent and combat money laundering. The measures will now also cover non-financial entities, natural and legal persons engaged in real estate brokerage and the purchase and resale ofproperties, as well as construction entities that directly sell properties. Lawyers and all those who exercise functions of legal sponsorship and legal assistance, notaries, conservatory officials, accountants and independent auditors, when involved in transactions in the interest of their users or in other circumstances, are also covered. Service providers to trust funds and companies now also become non-financial entities obliged to adopt measures to prevent and combat money laundering.

Non-profit organisations, including non-governmental organisations and churches, must now keep records of operations relating to donations and other contributions from national and international entities for a minimum period of five years. According to the amendments voted for favourably in parliament, such records must be sufficiently detailed to allow verification that the funds received by these entities were used in accordance with the purpose of the organisation, which must make these records available to the competent authorities when requested. Another innovation of the law in question is that donations or other financial contributions to non-profit organisations must be made through bank transfer to an account opened in the name of the organisation or by cheque, with the necessary exceptions in the terms to be regulated.

Under to the revised law, engaging in money laundering crimes can engender a fine of up to 10 million meticais. In its reasoning, the government explains that legal persons and equivalent entities will be subject to a fine ranging from two to ten million meticais if the crime is committed within the scope of the activity of a financial institution. According to the same proposal, fines will also range from one million to five million meticais if the crime is committed through the activity of a non-financial entity.

 

China lifts bans on group tours to

 China on Thursday included Mozambique, Equatorial Guinea, Cape Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe in a third batch of destinations to which it will allow group tourism travel. The decision, announced by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of the Asian country, covers a total of 82 countries, in addition to the 40 included in the first two batches.

Destinations popular among international travellers, such as the United States and United Kingdom, are now available again for Chinese tourists travelling in organised groups.

In early February, Beijing again allowed group tours to about 20 countries, including destinations such as Thailand or Indonesia.

Portugal was included in the second batch, approved the following month, as well as Brazil, France and Spain.

China, which was the largest source of tourists in the world until the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, kept its borders closed for almost three years as part of its “zero Covid” policy, which was abandoned last December after protests in several cities across the country.

 

AFRICA

 

The height of indecency

Indecency has phases. 

In the first, the notion of priorities is lost. This happens when it becomes more important to show that something is being done. You lose concern about what is still not well and needs attention because for millions of young people it is a matter of life or death. A deputy doesn't need to go very far to see that. As you leave the Assembly building, you see the drama of survival.

In the second phase, a lot of energy is invested in the superfluous. It is not, contrary to what many people think, lick-botism. It is a sincere attitude that manifests itself without the expectation of personal gain. The person loses track of what is important. Scouring dictionaries looking for adjectives becomes more important than investing time to understand a subject that, handled well, can change people's lives for the better. This would entail reading, talking to experts, listening to those affected, etc.

In the third, an identity is created that has nothing to do with the reason that led an individual to a certain place. Thus, the person is more concerned with asserting himself as the deputy who makes everyone laugh with his eulogies to the president. Without realizing it, he begins to give more importance to this than to his own work. It becomes more serious not to make this kind of speech than to question the rulers. The person gets silly at the party.

In the fourth, and last, the person believes that what he does is funny. He doesn't do it anymore because he wanted to show that despite everything there is work being done. He does it because he thinks it's funny, a lot of it. What they fail to realize is that making jokes in the parliament of a country where millions of people go to bed - if they have a bed and shelter - without eating is an affront to the values ​​of their own party, society and, of course, their own family. .

Now, the height of indecency is when colleagues join in the laughter, clap loudly and show no sign of embarrassment. That's where you realize that the mozes are orphans of government.

And to make matters worse, not a single decent person in this party and government has publicly and loudly distanced themselves. Maybe it's because they know that it's aimed at decent people so that they know once and for all that boçalismo rules.

(E.Macamo in facebook)

Mozambique sends fuel to malawi

The Mozambican government is sending aid of 40,000 litres of fuel to Malawi, in response to the appeal launched by Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera, following the passage of tropical cyclone Freddy, which devastated southern Malawi, killing at least 438 people.The fuel will be delivered officially by the Mozambican High Commissioner in Malawi, Elias Zimba, in representation of President Filipe Nyusi.

According to Radio Mozambique, the fuel will be used in search and rescue operations in parts of Malawi flooded by the cyclone. 238 people are still listed as missing, and more than 345,000 people have lost their homes.

For Zimba, Nyusi’s gesture shows the brotherhood and friendship between African peoples, who, at times of catastrophe, need to unite their efforts to reduce the impact of natural disasters.Mozambique has thus joined Tanzania, which has disbursed a million US dollars, and made two military helicopters and 100 soldiers available to support rescue operations and humanitarian assistance in Malawi.

Malawi has also requested air support from Mozambique and Zambia for the search and rescue work. The Malawian government says that, with the improvement in the weather, it has become possible to use aircraft in the relief operations, but the country is desperately short of planes and helicopters – hence the appeal to neighbouring countries.

Civil society organisations want to destroy FRELIMO

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, speaking in his capacity as leader of the ruling Frelimo Party, on Thursday claimed that some of the country’s civil society organisations want to destroy Frelimo. Addressing a meeting in the southern city of Matola of the Frelimo disciplinary body, the Verification Commission, Nyusi said there are “intruders” in the party who want to weaken it and drag its name through the mud. He urged Frelimo members to be vigilant against all those who want to wreck the party. He called for cohesion among the membership as the only way to face challenges imposed by the forces acting against the Party.

“The Frelimo Party is operating in a world of intense political competition”, said Nyusi. “So we are called upon to perfect our methods of work in order to confront the forces that are opposed to our designs”. He warned that Frelimo’s opponents have been strengthening their methods of operation, “seeking to subvert the Party’s guidelines”.

 “Just as in the past, the main target of our adversaries is to destroy the unity and discipline of our Party”, Nyusi declared. “Tribalism, regionalism and other forms of discrimination are among the means invoked by some elements, inside or outside the party, to cover up their ambition for power, or to satisfy personal or group interests”. He stressed that Frelimo needs to reorganize itself to face the challenges of the municipal elections scheduled for October.

“This is a moment of extreme importance in the national political cycle”, Nyusi said. “Our Party has the challenge of maintaining the governance of the 44 municipalities currently under our rule, of recovering the nine that are currently run by the opposition, and of winning in the 12 new municipalities”.

He warned that such a victory can only be won on the basis of “transparency, responsibility, justice and integrity”. Above all, the Party must ensure that its election candidates are capable of attracting the support of the voters “for an overwhelming Frelimo victory”. Nyusi urged the Verification Commission to fight against corruption inside Frelimo, and in public institutions. The Commission, he said, must guarantee strict compliance with the Frelimo statutes.

Importers suspend trips to South Africa

The Mozambican Association of small scale importers, known as “mukheristas”, has decided to suspend trips to South Africa to prevent possible violence against Mozambican trucks during the current protests. According to the president of the association, Sudekar Novela, quoted by the Maputo daily “Noticias”, the action aims to safeguard the physical integrity of operators in the sector and avoid possible damage caused by the looting of goods.

Several South African services were closed on Monday, and the “mukheristas” fear that the attacks on vehicles with Mozambican number plates will worsen again with the protests called in South Africa for this week.

The protests are against the rising cost of living, and the constant power cuts, and led by the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, which is calling for the resignation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Despite this scenario, Novela guaranteed that his members have enough stock to supply the Mozambican market for short period.

“At the moment there is no reason for concern because the Zimpeto Wholesale Market in Maputo has goods to supply the city for a few weeks without any restrictions”, he claimed.

In recent days, the price of fresh products in Zimpeto has fluctuated as a result, on the one hand, of the flooding of crops in the production fields and, on the other, of rising acquisition costs in South Africa. Hundreds of people were arrested in South Africa on Monday, the first day of the EFF protests, but the country was not brought to a standstill.

UAE, Mozambique ink MoUs on counterterrorism

Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, today received Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of Mozambique, along with his accompanying delegation at the Zabeel Palace in Dubai. The leaders discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation across various sectors in the best interests of the peoples of both countries.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid welcomed the President of Mozambique in the presence of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the UAE; and Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid underscored the UAE’s keenness to foster trade and commercial relations with Mozambique and other African nations. His Highness noted the strong bonds of friendship and cooperation that bind the two countries and their keenness to explore ways of expanding their partnership to promote mutual investments and enhance stability and prosperity.

leaders assessed opportunities to enhance bilateral cooperation in different sectors, especially economic fields, and reviewed steps to increase mutual trade and investment opportunities. They discussed ways to share knowledge and expertise in several areas, including trade, agriculture, and tourism. The meeting addressed various aspects of UAE-Mozambique ties and the opportunities available to expand the scope of common interests. The two leaders exchanged views on regional and international issues of common concern.

President Nyusi expressed his pride in the strong relations between Mozambique and the UAE. He said he hoped to see even greater cooperation between the two countries in various vital fields.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and President Nyusi also witnessed the signing of several agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering various sectors. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Verónica Macamo, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mozambique, signed an MoU on security and counterterrorism.

Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE’s Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Mozambique’s Verónica Macamo signed an MoU on military collaboration and an economic and technical collaboration agreement.

 

 

 

Opens branch in Afungi

Standard Bank recently opened a new branch in the town of Quitunda, Palma district, in Cabo Delgado province. Among several benefits, the new agency opened in partnership with the Mozambique LNG project, operated by TotalEnergies, as part of its “Pamoja Tunaweza” (Juntos Somos Capazes) initiative, which aims to support community development initiatives, and will contribute to meeting the specific needs of the population in the Afungi region while boosting development of the province in general.

 In addition to supporting the participation of local companies in the projects installed there, the new Standard Bank branch will significantly contribute to the ongoing reconstruction process and to the return of populations to their places of origin. The new facility will also contribute to the acceleration of the process of the local population joining banking institutions and to raising the levels of financial education and inclusion of the residents of Afungi and Quitunda, providing them with a safe place to store their savings. The new branch is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and ATMs and has several cashiers to attend to the public in a space which provides greater convenience and comfort to customers. The opening of the Quitunda branch is part of Standard Bank’s business strategy of being ever closer to its customers, serving them with rigor and excellence.

15 mln

More than 15 million Mozambicans will be able to use cooking gas instead of firewood and charcoal in their houses by 2030, Mozambique’s largest newspaper Noticias reported Wednesday, citing Moises Paulino, the National Director of Hydrocarbons and Fuels in the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy. This is part of the government’s vision and effort to preserve the environment and public health, the report said.

Mozambique has a population of just over 30 million people. It is estimated that currently only 3.8 percent of the population has access to cooking gas, said the report.

“The gas produced in Temane, in the southern province of Inhambane, or in the Rovuma Basin in northern Cabo Delgado, is not only intended for export, but also for the domestic market,” the paper quoted Paulino as saying.

According to the official, a campaign will be carried out to encourage the communities to use cooking gas in a gradual process. He said that in the city of Maputo, the country’s capital, there are neighborhoods where people no longer need to buy cooking gas from a gas station or service station as they already have piped gas in their homes.

UNGA

Prime Minister, Adriano Maleiane says it’s time for the world to adopt new funding models to fast track the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030. Maleiane made the challenge during his speech at the General debate of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly underway in New York under the theme ‘ A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges.’ He assured that Mozambique still views the SDGs 2030 as relevant to design collective solutions for the challenges facing the world. Therefore, according to Maleiane, the government shares the view that the SDGs should be not be scrapped because they are still valid. However, finance is still confined to domestic funds and each country is expected to mobilise its own to cover the expenses to meet the set targets.
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‘We are working to reach the targets, but facing major difficulties. Therefore, we propose a model that will incorporate multilateral financial institutions, such as those linked to the United Nations, to also provide funds for this agenda,’ he said.Speaking at a press conference, which marked the end of his participation in the event, Maleiane explained that this was one of the motivations for Mozambique’s participation. Another reason was to express Mozambique’s gratitude for the country’s election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

‘We achieved our independence years ago, but we had never been to this forum. One hundred and ninety-two countries out of a total of 193 voted in favour of Mozambique and that is very good for the country and for Mozambicans,’ he said.Naturally, Maleiane said, the Mozambican government reaffirmed its position that peace and sustainable development are sacred values. It was precisely for this purpose that the United Nations Organisation (UNO) was created, Maleiane said, stressing that this was also the content of the message of his speech delivered at the General debate. Asked about Mozambique’s position on the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Maleiane said that the Constitution of the Republic is very clear on the matter.

‘Our Constitution is very much for peace and dialogue and everything we are doing is in line with these principles and values, but also this institution where we are present was precisely designed to guarantee peace and stability,’ he stressed. Mozambique, Maleiane said, argues that it is necessary to give dialogue a chance rather than embark on violence. ‘We are not taking sides. We are doing what our constitution says to do. It is good for the country and for the interests of Mozambique. Maleiane took the opportunity to announce that he was the bearer of a message from the Mozambican President, Filipe Nyusi, addressed to the Secretary General, António Guterres, who played a very important role in consolidating peace and reconciliation in Mozambique and invite him to visit Mozambique.   ‘We believe that its important to invite him to witness the end of this first phase of demobilisation and reintegration of the residual force of Renamo, the largest opposition party in Mozambique.

 

Return of residents to Mocimboa da Praia

The massive return of residents to the coastal town of Mocímboa da Praia, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, is putting under pressure health services, which are currently operating in a makeshift building. Health infrastructures were severely damaged by the terrorists and now, with the return of thousands of residents who had left the town, efforts are underway to restore public services, including health facilities. The clinical director Benjamin Ernesto says that Mocímboa da Praia Health Centre attends on average 150 people a day, a number that falls short of meeting the huge demand.

‘We attend cases that we can deal with. Those that we cannot deal with locally we refer them to Mueda Rural Hospital,’ said Ernesto, quoted this Monday (26) by Radio Mozambique. The Mozambican government estimates over 9,000 internally displaced residents from Mocímboa da Praia have already returned to their homes. Mocímboa da Praia was the district where armed groups carried out their first attack on 5 October 2017, and its main town was long described as the terrorists’ headquarters.

Now, security has been restored leading to an influx of families from resettlement centres spread across neighbouring provinces. After more than a year in the hands of terrorists, the town was looted, with virtually all public and private infrastructure destroyed, including public utilities such as electricity and water, telecommunications and hospitals.

A military offensive launched by government forces in 2021, with the support of Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community forces, allowed the government to retake control, and there are now under way several initiatives to rebuild infrastructure. According to official estimates there are currently over 850,000 internally displaced people in Cabo Delgado due to the conflict, which also killed another 3,000 triggering a humanitarian crisis.

156 of them expired

Of the approximately 900 unclaimed passports at the Provincial Directorate of Migration in Maputo, 156 have already expired. Also unclaimed are visas for extension of stay, plus work and visit visas not collected by applicants. The bustle of people applying for travel documents at the Migration Service in Maputo province is plain to see. Less visible is the pile of documents issued but unclaimed.

Bata, spokesperson for the Provincial Directorate of Migration Services (SENAMI) in Maputo, says that a considerable number of documents expire before even leaving the building.

“We have about 900 passports, some of which are from the previous platform (SEMLEX). Of those, 156 passports have already expired. A further 43 expired residence permit are also in our possession. This situation worries us, because we daily hear of citizens repatriated from neighbouring South Africa for lack of passports,” he explains.  Bata notes that the failure to collect these documents creates constraints on the functioning of migration services. “Therefore, we appeal to our fellow citizens, as soon as they return from their places of work, to go to the Provincial Directorate of Migration and collect their passports, which will allow them to spend their vacation well and continue their travels,” he says. An SMS alert system is used to remind citizens to collect their documents, when ready.

9.5 billion US dollars to improve water

Mozambican government is working to mobilize about 9.5 billion US dollars needed to improve supply and management of water and sanitation systems, especially in rural areas. This would allow Mozambique to meet the Sustainable Development Goal established by the United Nations by 2030 ‘to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.’Of this amount, 4.1 billion is to be invested in improving water supply and sanitation and the remaining 5.4 billion for management and maintenance of related infrastructure, announced Mozambican Prime-minister, Adriano Maleiane, on Friday.

“It is a huge sum of money”, said Maleiane speaking in New York at the high-level roundtable on water supply, water management and sanitation. “But I believe that using some financial institutions like the World Bank and other regional institutions we can get there, and I would like to mention some strategic partners like the Netherlands”. The Prime minister assured that the Mozambican government is doing its best to provide water to the population, particularly in rural areas.

“If we go to the countryside we will see people benefiting from water and also we have trained them to use water systems”, he said, stressing the need for maintenance to ensure better performance.

“We are doing our best and women today spend less time getting some water because we are taking water near to them”, said Maleiane. He also pointed out that the youth make up about 31 per cent of the active population in the working age. Therefore, any programme in Mozambique is youth oriented specially on gender issues. That’s the reason the government wants girls to be incorporated in the economic model to give them space and time and take water close to them.Hence, the government will continue to invest in that direction because that will make a difference in Mozambique. Considering the steps already taken, Maleiane assures that the country will be able to reach the goals set by the United Nations. Earlier this year, Mozambican Minister of Public Works, Carlos Mesquita, expressed government concerns in Maputo ceremonies to mark World Water Day, over the low coverage rate for access to drinking water across the country.

“Statistics show that 66 percent of the population do not have any source of safe water”, Mesquita said. “In the urban areas, clean water reaches 83 per cent of the population, but in the rural areas, the figure is 53 per cent”. Mesquita stressed the need to ensure the fulfilment of the established goals for water supply services, especially by improving the sustainable management of infrastructures. He also conveyed the government’s concern at the level of losses in the urban systems which are running, on average, at about 46 per cent”.

“This requires urgent actions to control and reduce these losses which affect the sustainability of the water supply systems. Besides Mozambique, also in attendance were the Prime-minister of the Netherlands, representatives from Finland, Sweden, Uganda, Egypt, Tajikistan, Iraq, Bangladesh and international organizations, especially the World Bank.

Central Committee

The new members of the Frelimo Central Committee, the most important body of the ruling party in the interval between congresses, are now known. This Monday, the approximately 1,500 provincial delegates elected the 79 members necessary to fill the body, out of a total of 100 candidates registered at the central level.The longest electoral process in recent years in Frelimo – the election took place at 10:00 a.m., but the results were only released after 10:00 p.m. – resulted in what was already projected behind the scenes: the consolidation of ‘Nyussism’.Of the results that ‘Carta’ had access to, in terms of women who were part of the previous Central Committee, the highlight goes to the departure of Lucília Hama, deputy of the Assembly of the Republic and former Governor of the City of Maputo. Hama, it is recalled, was a member of the Frelimo Political Commission between 2012 and 2017, but was rejected from the body in 2017.

Helena Música and Joaquina Siliya were also excluded. Graça Machel, a senior Frelimo member, did not apply to stay on. ‘Carta’ has learned that her withdrawal was intended to avoid possible humiliation, such as that of Eduardo Nihia, who was unable to get himself elected to that body in Nampula province.

The list of women staying on as members of the Central Committee therefore includes Verónica Macamo, Margarida Talapa, Carmelita Namashulua, Alcinda De Abreu, Luísa Diogo, Conceita Sortane, Nyeleti Mondlane, Esperança Bias, Marina Pachinuapa, Anchia Talapa, Emília Moiane, Ana Rita Sithole, Sónia Macuvele, Amélia Muendane, Lucinda Espirito Santo and Maria Fernanda Moçambique Tonela. Nineteen candidates competed for the 16 seats available.

From the list of women seeking to join the new Central Committee for the first time, the highlight goes to ministers in the government of Filipe Nyusi, namely Josefina Mpelo (Minister of Combatants), Ana Comoana (State Administration and Civil Service), Maria Helena Kida (Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs) and Eldevina Materula (Culture and Tourism).

Luísa Meque (President of INGD), Ana Canhemba (Administrator of Inhassoro district), Isabel Cumbane, Xarzarda Orá, Julita Juma, Bendita Lopes and Rosel Salomão Pedro were also approved. In this list, 13 candidates competed for 11 available seats. Maria de Fátima Pelembe, former Secretary General of the OMM, and Easter Themba failed to quality.

In the list of candidates of men staying on, there were few surprises, as only 31 competed for 30 vacancies. Only Chinguane Sebastião Marcos Mabote was rejected. Remaining in the Central Committee are Roque Silva, Alberto Chipande, Alcido Nguenha, Eduardo Abdula, Eduardo Mulémbwė, Raimundo Pachinuapa and Eneas Comiche. Also on the list are Alberto Chipande Júnior, Namoto Chipande, Aires Aly, Samora Machel Júnior, Sérgio Pantie, António Niquice, Celso Correia, Tomás Salomão, Marcelino Pita, Carvalho Muária, José Pacheco, Chakil Aboobacar, Jaime Basílio Monteiro, Bruno Morgado, Licínio Mauaie, Dominic Phiri, Salim Valá, Carlos Agostinho do Rosário, Carlos Mesquita, Agostinho Mondlane, Eusébio Lambo, Arlindo Chilundo, Raimundo Diomba and Francisco Cabo.

However, it was in the men’s renewal list that there was most controversy. Frelimo made seven vacancies available, with 13 candidates applying. Among the entries, emphasis goes to the return of Oswaldo Petersburgo (Secretary of State for Youth) – rejected at the previous Congress – and the entry, for the first time, of Adriano Maleiane (Prime Minister), Max Tonela (Minister of Economy and Finance) and N’Naite Chissano, son of Joaquim Chissano, former President of the Republic and member of Frelimo. Pedro Guiliche (a famous G15 analyst), Constantino Bacela (Minister in the Presidency for Civil House Affairs) and Rui Chong Saw (former Mayor of Nacala-Porto) were also elected.

Among those rejected are Joaquim Veríssimo (former Minister of Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs), Mouzinho Saíde (former Vice-Minister of Health and current Director of the Maputo Central Hospital), Inocêncio Impissa (Deputy Minister of State Administration and Public Service), businessman Prakash Prehlad, Manuel Formiga (former President of the National Youth Council) and Virgílio Mateus.

The electoral results obtained by Carta indicate that, in the Central Committee’s list of renewal for the economic and social area, delegates rejected the candidacies of businessman Lineu Candieiro of the Lin Group (which includes the famous Lin Cleanings), and the sportswoman Ana Flávia de Azinheira, former Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports.

Eduardo Mondlane Júnior, businessman Mahomed Assif Osman and Ana Senda Coanai, CEO of IGEPE (Institute for the Management of State Equity) were elected in the economic and social sector.

Among the youth, emphasis goes to the entry, for the first time, of Jacinto Filipe Nyusi (son of the President of the Republic and Frelimo), Emília Chambal (President of the National Youth Council), Edma Braund, Jherson Fernandes, Baera Morreira, Francisco Nunes and Constantino André. Sale Mussa and Patrícia Lopes were excluded.

In the renewal list, at combatant level, male delegates elected included Rafael Rahomoja, João Américo Mpfumo and João Ferreira dos Santos. Among the women, Joisse Jock and Laura Agostinho Mavota. Maria Gundana, Victória Daniel and Miguel Mkaima succeeded, while André Massaite and Xavier Nelson were left out.

The 79 members of the Central Committee elected at the XII Frelimo Congress yesterday will join the members elected at the provincial conferences, the two honorary party presidents, the six honorary members, the 11 Provincial First Secretaries and the three Secretary-Generals of Organs social bodies of the party (the OJM, OMM and ACLLN).The Frelimo Central Committee will in future be composed of 250 members and 11 provincial substitutes. It remains to be defined how many substitutes will be elected at central level.

Drug

Official figures from the Central Office for the Prevention and Fight against Drugs (GCCPD) indicate that drug addiction in Mozambique rose about 14% between 2020 and 2021, with the provinces of Manica, Nampula, Sofala and Maputo seeing the most cases. The national model of rehabilitation for drug addicts may not be the most appropriate, warns mental health expert Júlio Macamo. Júlio tried cannabis sativa, aka ‘soruma’, at the age of 14, at the invitation of a friend. By the age of 16, he had already used more than two types of drugs. He stole items from his parents’ house to sell for money to buy drugs, he confesses.

“The evil lies in experimenting. I tried it, I liked the feeling and started to consume it. I met people who got into the world of crime, and I was about to get involved myself, because I hung out with friends, one of whom had his father’s gun, who was a police officer. Little by little, I was trying more things,” the interviewee says.

At a certain point in his life, Júlio realised that he was on a path that could lead to his death, and that was the start of a happy ending. With the help of relatives and friends, he managed to rehabilitate himself.

“One day, when I was drugged, I looked at myself in the mirror and thought: ‘I’m that uncle I always said I didn’t want to be’, because when we’re kids, we look at that uncle from the area, who drinks and creates trouble, and we don’t want to be like him. So I looked at myself and I saw myself as that drug-addict uncle. When I realised this, I started looking for help,” he explains. Júlio’s testimony is just one example of what happens all over the country, and GCCPD figures point to an increase in drug addiction country-wide.

“In 2020, we had 9,788 [addicts] and, in 2021, this number increased to 11,164, so we are seeing growth of around 14%,” says Orlando Alberto, head of the Department of Public Education at the Central Office for the Prevention and Combat of Drugs. According to Alberto, the provinces of Manica, Nampula, Sofala and Maputo lead the statistics table.

“Last year, the province of Manica had 2,713 cases, which represents 24% of the total. Nampula, with 2,416, corresponds to 21%, while Sofala had 2,084 and Maputo City had 2,050,” he details.The GCCPD records 2,050 cases for Maputo city, while the Health Directorate presented a different figure of around 3100.

“Last year, we had 3,057 cases in outpatient consultations, which means that there were around 3,000 people who approached the hospital,” says Maputo City Health Directorate representative Maria de Lurdes Sive. The health sector is not only concerned about the increase in drug addicts, but also about the number of those mentally ill as a result of drug use. In 2021, 9,000 were admitted to the Infulene Psychiatric Hospital, in Maputo.

“In our largest psychiatric hospital [Infulene], the main cause of hospitalisation is mental and behavioural disorders due to the consumption of toxic substances. In the 2021 report, we learned that about 9,000 people sought mental health services for issues related to mental disorders and substance use,” says Elisa Mfumo, head of the Department of Mental Health at the Ministry of Health. More up-to-date data from the GCPCD indicate that, in the first half of this year, more than 4,000 people with mental and behavioural problems caused by drug consumption were admitted to health service units.  Cannabis sativa and alcohol are the most-consumed substances, due to their easy availability. Adolescents and young students are among those who consume drugs most, often mixing them.

“It is with great sadness that I report that we have more teenagers and young people, aged 14-17, in the rehabilitation program. At the moment, there are 67,” says Anderson Jesus, representative of the REMAR rehabilitation centre. The country does not have a hospital specialising in the treatment of drug addiction. Patients are admitted to the Infulene Psychiatric Hospital and this overloads the health unit.

“In addition to treating two people with schizophrenia and mental retardation, we also have to assist drug addicts, as is their right,” says Infulene Psychiatric Hospital director Serena Chachuaio. “A drug addict often has disciplinary problems, which is why they often destroy sponges or clog faucets in order to protest against hospitalisation by their relatives.”

Psychologist Celma Ricardo is critical of the country’s rehabilitation model.

“We don’t have a one-stop centre, so that the individual doesn’t have to go from one hospital to the other. We don’t have a unit that supports an individual for complete rehabilitation, with the ability to provide psychological follow-up, with a psychiatrist providing assistance and activities to occupy them and help them stop using drugs,” she says. The Maputo City Health Directorate recognizes the problem and promises improvements.

“Together with the government, we are working towards opening a rehabilitation centre for these cases. It won’t happen from one day to the next, so until then we will continue to work with the Infulene Psychiatric Hospital,” Maria de Lurdes Sive explains. According to SERNIC, during the first six months of this year, close to 400 drug trafficking and consumption cases were registered, against about 300 in the same period in 2021. Narcotics valued at an estimated 50 million meticais were seized. In 2019, the United Nations cited Mozambique as a major corridor for large volumes of drugs.

 

 

Raises 4.2 million dollars

The London-based mining company Gemfields on Tuesday announced that it has raised 4.2 million US dollars from an auction of predominantly commercial-quality sapphire, corundum, and low-quality ruby held from 19 September to 23 September 2022. In total, 3.6 tonnes of material (18.1 million carats) were sold.The gems were mined in the northern Mozambican district of Montepuez by Montepuez Ruby Mining Limitada (MRM), which is 75 per cent owned by Gemfields and 25 per cent by Mwiriti Limitada.According to Adrian Banks, Gemfields’ Managing Director of Product & Sales, “the buoyant conditions prevailing in the coloured gemstone market made this an excellent time to sell several years of accumulated MRM commercial-quality inventory”.

added, “we thank and congratulate the government of Mozambique and our partners at Mwiriti – both of whom attended the auction – on what are very healthy results for material of this quality”.

Gemfields stressed that “the proceeds of this auction will be fully repatriated to MRM in Mozambique, with all royalties due to the government of the Republic of Mozambique being paid on the full sales prices achieved at the auction”.Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) holds a 25-year concession on an area of 340 square kilometres in Montepuez, in Cabo Delgado province. Since 2014, over 830 million dollars have been raised from the auction of rubies and other gems from the mine.

Finance terrorism want to recolonize

The President of the Republic says that the financiers of terrorism in Cabo Delgado have political interests which aim to destabilize and colonize Mozambique to plunder resources. Speaking in Maputo at the opening ceremony of the VII National Youth Conference yesterday, Filipe Nyusi encouraged young people not to accept being used for evil actions.President Nyusi used the youth event to present his revelations and send a message to people inside and outside the country. Addressing an audience of young people, Filipe Nyusi accused external entities and even nations of financing terrorist actions to target the government, create instability and plunder resources in Mozambique.

“In our country, we are experiencing terrorism created and financed by evil forces. If these people have weapons, the question is: where do these weapons come from?” Nyusi asked. He then argued that “they finance [terrorism] as part of this theory of disorder and political instrument. The country was moving at cruising speed; many projects were underway in Palma, at sea and on land. There were resettlements; fishermen from Palma began to earn more because there was already a market. They do this to solve their problem, causing suffering to the Mozambican populations. The objective is to perpetuate the suffering and poverty of Mozambicans, as they are not nationals, and to create conditions for the plunder of our resources”.

The President of the Republic further says that these external financiers want to recolonize the African continent in general, and Mozambique in particular. “It is a new form of colonialism. Fortunately, we hoisted the flag, we have our sovereignty, but they want to make money by creating disorder. They articulate with the aim of using youth to create instability. Unfortunately, some minds, not only of young people, are financed and used with the aim of recolonizing Africa and plundering Mozambique’s resources. They use money to manipulate the conscience of young people to join the disorder and perpetrate acts against their own homeland, against their own communities, but never against the nations of those who finance. And we wouldn’t want our young people to be paid to make trouble in another country,” Nyusi explained.

Such entities, adds Filipe Nyusi, operate within the country, trying to influence government decisions.

“We are not evading our responsibilities. Not infrequently, they appear to condemn the Defence and Security Forces when they act in defence of Mozambicans and all who reside in Mozambique. When it all started, they always complained that we weren’t looking for support, but we were still trying to understand the phenomenon. Let’s imagine it was an internal conflict, as we had in the past. Why should we turn to other countries to solve our problem? When the conclusion was reached that it was terrorism, we invited partners to help us and these same people again criticize our choices. The question we pose is: what is the profile of those who fight terrorism?”

Filipe Nyusi took the opportunity to praise the bravery of young people defending national sovereignty and fighting terrorism in the Northern Operational Theatre. “These young people are real, of all ages and genders. They join the experience of the elders to fight this evil. At the moment, actions to pursue terrorists are underway in the dense forests between the Messalo and Montepuez rivers. They are stampeding, but the forest is thick and it is not easily penetrated,” he said.

In another development, Filipe Nyusi acknowledged the difficulties the government faced in finding employment for all, but said this should not be used to sabotage actions. “Our government is fully aware of the challenges faced by Mozambican youths who live the reality of limited formal and informal employment opportunities. On the other hand, it evaluates with indignation the associated evils, such as crime, drug trafficking, excessive alcohol use and prostitution, among others.”

But these are not the only evils pointed out by Filipe Nyusi. As if in response to recent demonstrations, Nyusi recalled that vandalism does not solve problems, but slows down the country’s growth.

“We build a new road and someone comes along and burns tires and damages that same road. After that, cars can crash, cars can break down, and who benefits from that? Then we start spreading rumours. Challenges should not encourage our young people to think about engaging in illicit acts or participating in terrorist acts or other crimes tending to destroy their own country and their own future.” In speeches made this Monday at the opening of the 7th National Youth Conference, the leadership of the National Youth Council demanded more government support for youth initiatives, while representatives of the United Nations Fund for the Population expressed willingness to support the government and leverage the same.

 

 

Mozambique Fashion Week

Every year, Mozambique Fashion Week (MFW) seeks to expand, to leverage national production in the industry and offer its many followers a quality event with a variety of designers and models that add value to the event, to the fashion sector and to Mozambican arts and culture. MFW acts also as a platform for discovering, encouraging, training and promoting Mozambican fashion. We believe that part of this comes from giving openness and ease to young and small entrepreneurs to walk and take their small steps to conquer their careers and business success.According to the statement sent to Moz Entretenimento, the MFW team will be receiving applications for its 18th edition, where designers and models can showcase their talent and take their place in the fashion world.

 Enrolment for candidates in the areas of fashion, design and catwalk have been taking place on the event’s website since July 18. This is a different system from previous years, when enrolment took place in person. For this year’s edition, the production hopes to continue to attract fashion designers and models with talent and technical capacity to surpass the numbers obtained in past events. Last year alone, the team received more than 1,300 entries for models and 150 applications for designers, of which 60 models and 70 designers were selected for the big event and were able to showcase their talent and creativity. As always, MFW wants to encourage designers and new talents to think outside the box and present new, unique and competitive ideas that can inspire a totally different experience for the audience or final consumer, showing their full potential for the success of their brands.

In addition to filing the enrolment form available online, on the MFW website, designers must make sure that their sketches and mood boards are delivered to the Maputo offices of DDB Moçambique, the company organising the event, by the last day of registration, Thursday, 18 August. Applications must be sent taking into account the Mozambique Fashion Week category in which candidates intend to participate, eitehr ‘Young Designers’ or ‘Marcas'[‘Brands]’.