Mozambique Basic Information

Mozambique is a politically stable country that is led by the Frelimo political party headed by President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi. It is a presidential system and the legal system is based on Portuguese-Roman law and the 1990 constitution, which was updated in 2004. The president is the guarantor of the constitution, head of government and commander-in-chief of the defense and security forces. The current president, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, studied in the former Czechoslovakia, which is why he has a warm relationship with the Czech Republic. The Mozambican government is made up of 20 ministries and currently 50% of them are headed by women. Mozambique is divided between 10 provinces, which have their own provincial governments headed by governors, and individual districts are made up of larger cities headed by administrators (so-called administrators).

Mozambique ranks among the poorest countries in Africa and faces several challenges, including a debt crisis since 2017, terrorist attacks in the northern province of Cabo Delgado and a deteriorating economic situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the economy was seen to grow slightly to 2.1% due to higher demand for aluminum and coal, which are among the country’s main export commodities. In addition, economic growth was supported by greater production of agricultural crops due to more favorable climatic conditions. The average inflation rate reached 5.7% in 2021 due to the increase in the prices of imported commodities, and stronger inflationary pressures are also expected in 2022. Public debt reached 91.2% in 2021. For the next period from 2022 to 2026, faster economic growth of around 5% on average is expected due to the start of production of liquefied natural gas,

Due to the debt crisis, the involvement of Czech companies in state contracts is very limited. Important local businessmen are mostly of Indian, Arab or European origin, and Mozambican companies do not yet have a very strong position.

In connection with the conclusion of the so-called EPA economic partnership agreement between the EU and selected SADC (Southern African Development Community) countries, which include Mozambique, Czech products are granted preferential access to the Mozambican market.

This summary territorial information is processed for a country that is so-called accredited and is provided in a shortened scope.

Basic information about the territory

Subchapters:

• System of governance and political tendencies in the country
• Foreign policy of the country
• Population

The system of governance and political tendencies in the country

Official name of the country: Republic of Mozambique, in Portuguese: República de Moçambique

President: Filipe Jacinto Nyusi (in second term)
Prime Minister: Carlos Agostinho do Rosário

The current government was appointed on 17/01/2020. Mozambique is a unitary republic practicing a presidential system of power with the existence of multiple political parties. The Frente de Liberatacao de Mozambique (FRELIMO) party has been in power since independence in 1975. The president is elected in direct elections for five years, but at most two electoral terms. Legislative power is vested in the unicameral National Assembly consisting of 250 deputies elected for a five-year term. The last presidential and parliamentary elections were held in the fall of 2019. The Constitutional Council, which has 7 members, supervises the observance of constitutionality. Check cancermatters to learn more about Mozambique political system.

Composition of the government:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation – Minister Verónica Nataniel Macamo Dhlovo
Ministry of National Defense – Minister Cristóvão Artur Chume
Ministry of the Interior – Minister Arsénia Felicidade Félix Massingue
Ministry of Economy and Finance – Minister Ernesto Max Elias Tonela
Ministry of Transport and Communications – Minister Janfar Abdulai
Ministry of Education and Human Development – Minister Carmelita Rita Namashulua
Ministry of Culture and Tourism – Minister Eldevina Materula
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development – Minister Celso Ismael Correia
Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security – Minister Margarida Adamugy Talapa
Ministry of Health – Minister Armindo Daniel Tiago
Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action – Minister Nyeleti Brooke Mondlane
Ministry of Land and Environment – Minister Ivete Maibase
Ministry of State Administration and Public Affairs – Minister Ana Comoana
Ministry of Seas, Rivers and Fisheries – Minister Lídia de Fátima da Graça Cardoso
Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy – Minister Carlos Joaquim Zacarias
Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources – Minister Carlos Alberto Fortes Mesquita
Ministry of Industry and Trade – Minister Silvino Augusto José Moreno
Ministry of Justice, Constitutional Affairs and Religion – Minister Helena Mateus Kida
Ministry of Science and Technology, Higher and Technical Education – Minister Daniel Daniel Nivagara
Ministry of Veterans Affairs – Minister Carlos Jorge Siliya

Foreign policy of the country

Currently, South Africa, the Netherlands and India are Mozambique’s largest trading partners. The main investor is China, which is also an important trading partner. The largest provider of development aid is the European Union. Originally, only Portugal, the USA and the EU helped with the solution to the current complicated situation in the north of the country (terrorist attacks in the province of Cabo Delgado). However, from July 2021, Rwanda actively joined the fighting, followed by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) a month later. The situation has improved significantly thanks to African aid. Check prozipcodes for Mozambique defense and foreign policy.

Population

Population: 3million (2021 est.)

Average annual population growth: 2.93%

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.13% 15-24 years: 21.43% 25-54 years: 27.09% 55-64 years: 3.44% 65 years and above: 2.91%

The largest population is located in the capital Maputo (1.87 million), Beira (530 thousand), Nampula (388 thousand) and Chimoio (257 thousand).

The Mozambican population is made up of 99.66% indigenous ethnic groups. The Makua ethnic group (about 4 million) live in the north, the Sen and Shona live in the Zambezi valley, and the Shangan (Tsonga) predominate in southern Mozambique. In addition to these main groups, several smaller ethnic groups live in the country. Several tens of thousands of people of European origin (0.06% of the population), European-African mixed race (0.2%) and people of Asian origin, especially Indians (0.08%) live in the country. The number of inhabitants of European origin fell dramatically in the 1970s. in connection with the liberation and subsequent civil war, however, thanks to the country’s economic boom after 2000, it began to grow again. During the economic crisis in Europe in 2008-2009, there was a sharp increase in the number of Portuguese and other European nationals applying for professional jobs.

Religion: 56% of the population profess Christianity (of which 28% are Catholic), 18% are Muslim, 6.7% profess traditional religions, and 18.7% profess no religion.

Language: the official language is Portuguese, 3 main languages ​​are also commonly used: Makua-Lomwe, Tsonga and Sena-Nyanja.