Mozambique 7 Dec: The government broke the law
Good afternoon. The long-awaited parliamentary inquiry into the secret debts that have dominated the news in Mozambique in 2016 is due to publish its report on Friday - but details have already been leaked through the media.
Zitamar News has now obtained a copy of the report, and will publish further revelations tomorrow. As we reported on Monday, via MediaFAX, the Frelimo-dominated commission said the government broke the law - but that it must be allowed discretion in how it chooses to govern the country. However, this is not the full story - and the commission’s conclusions do say that the guilty parties should be held responsible.
SEE: Inquiry absolves Mozambique government of wrongdoing over secret sovereign guarantees – report
The chief mediator in the Mozambique peace talks, Mario Raffaelli, is out of the country this week having travelled to vote in a referendum in his home country, Italy. In his absence, the Joint Commission has been making progress - but there was a fresh setback this morning with another, perhaps fatal, attack on a coal train in central Mozambique that bears all the hallmarks of Renamo action.
SEE: Coal train attacked in central Mozambique
If that suspicion is correct, the attack is a display of Renamo’s continued ability to conduct economic sabotage on a key export industry in Mozambique. Doing the same for offshore gas projects would be more complicated, however - with or without controversial offshore security company ProIndicus. Yesterday the government approved five technicalities to allow the projects led by Eni and Anadarko to move ahead.
SEE: Mozambique government approves five decrees to unblock stalled LNG projects
The Bank of Mozambique announced today that is welcoming an outside observer onto a new commission aimed at getting the best result for Moza Banco, which must be recapitalised either by its existing shareholders or by a new owner if it is to survive.
SEE: World Bank Group to advise Mozambique on Moza Banco rescue
And finally, Maputo Port set a new record this month - one it hopes to break again soon thanks to ongoing dredging of the port’s entry channel.
SEE: Maputo Port sends out heaviest ship yet thanks to new dredging effort
Have a great week.