Mozambique lied to creditors over Ematum’s true purpose, court hears; Rwanda now has 2,000 troops in Mozambique
Mozambique lied to creditors over Ematum’s true purpose, court hears; Rwanda now has 2,000 troops in Mozambique
Welcome to Zitamar’s daily Mozambique briefing for 13 October 2021
Agenda:
Today: Mozambique and Zimbabwe’s defence ministers (Jaime Neto and Owen Ncube) meet in Maputo to discuss the two countries efforts fighting terrorism
Tomorrow: SAMIM head of mission Professor Mpho Molomo to share details from last Tuesday’s SADC Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit at a press conference starting at 10am at the Joaquim Chissano conference centre
Tomorrow: Misa hosting a webinar to discuss The media laws proposals in Mozambique: From centrality of independent regulation to the accountability of journalists, 1500-1630 (CAT)
The latest from Zitamar News:
Mozambique lied to creditors over Ematum’s true purpose, court hears
The Mozambican mastermind of the 'hidden debts' deals told a court yesterday that the true purpose of tuna fishing company Ematum was hidden from the banks which financed it
Macomia town comes back to life despite ongoing insurgent violence
Reconstruction efforts, but also a lack of alternatives, are leading people to return to the Cabo Delgado town of Macomia
Cabo Ligado Weekly: 4-10 October
Militia shoot four young men for having Mozambique military uniforms
Insurgents kill woman in Tanzanian village for recognising one of them
SADC extends mission to consolidate security gains already made
Also available in Portuguese here
The best of the rest:
Rwanda now has 2,000 troops in Mozambique — Kagame (IGIHE)
New vice minister of environment appointed (Statement)
Wood deal to stop bread price rise (Lusa)
Rwanda now has 2,000 troops in Mozambique — Kagame (IGIHE)
Rwanda now has “close to 2,000” troops in Mozambique, President Paul Kagame said yesterday at a global security forum in Qatar — up from the 1,000 originally deployed in July. He reiterated that Rwanda received no outside funding for the operation, and said Rwandan troops should not be on the ground forever but rather should work with Mozambique for as long as support is necessary. Kagame said the two countries are working together to identify the root cause of the problem and what needs to be fixed, Rwandan media house IGIHE reported.
Newspaper Evidencias yesterday reported that Rwandan troops even helped with the operation that killed Renamo Military Junta leader Mariano Nhongo — though this is far from confirmed.
New vice minister of environment appointed (Statement)
President Nyusi yesterday appointed Fernando Bemane de Sousa to be the new deputy minister of land and the environment, under minister Ivete Maibaze.
The new vice minister was until yesterday Frelimo’s first secretary in Tete province, having previously been administrator of the Tete districts of Angonia and Zumbo.
Firewood deal to stop bakers rising bread price (Lusa)
Mozambique’s government and the Mozambican Association of Bakers (Amopao) signed a deal on Tuesday to prevent bread price increases. The memorandum of understanding sets out terms to ensure sustainable firewood supplies to fuel bakery ovens. Shortages of the raw material result in higher consumer prices as well as environmental concerns such as degradation. According to the agreement, there will be annual firewood cutting permits for bread production and the Ministry of Land and Environment is going to sell fast-growing seedlings for reforestation efforts. The ministry’s permanent secretary Emília Fumo said, "The population's dependence on this resource has been causing enormous pressure on our forest heritage, often putting some species in danger of extinction, as well as compromising the balance of natural ecosystems." Lusa reports that 80% of the population depend on forest products to meet basic needs. Amopão’s president Victor Miguel welcomed the deal saying, it will keep bread “on the Mozambican table,” and will be a “shield for environmental protection” by allowing the “forest slaughter and its replacement” to be governed.
This agreement is a big step forward for traditional bakeries and the worrying issue of wood fuel and charcoal production. The level of deforestation for fuel in Mozambique is dramatic. But replacing old forests with fast-growing monoculture saplings will still put species and ecosystems at risk.
Announcements
Sasol Petroleum Mozambique has opened calls for expression of interest from construction companies for its PSA Project in Temane, Inhambane Province in southern Mozambique (see here and here)
