Focus on a decade of peace

Returning to a country after many years away can bring surprises. But few are prepared for all the changes that have taken place in Mozambique. Barnaby Phillips, who worked as the BBC correspondent in Mozambique eight years ago, found himself lost sometimes, despite having lived in the capital, Maputo, for several years. "I am staying at the 'Avenida' a posh hotel that didn't exist in my time. I ate at the famous Mundos Restaurant yesterday, which also didn't exist. And after dinner I tried to find my old flat, which used to be just in front of a huge gaping hole in the ground. That hole also no longer exists. I got lost. Then I realised that instead of the hole there were these high rise luxury apartment blocks, some of which were for sale," he told IRIN. The fact the apartments were for sale was also a new phenomenon, in what was just over 10 years ago a Marxist Leninist oriented one-party state, where houses were owned by the state. Even driving from Johannesburg in South Africa to Maputo was a dramatically different experience for Phillips. "Before we used to take our lives in our hands driving from the capital, Maputo, to the border. There was a risk of armed bandits, and the road was a single carriage-way, badly lit and with large potholes." Today, thanks, to a huge US $1.4 billion investment project, the road from Johannesburg to Maputo is "astonishingly good", said Phillips. Indeed today, Mozambique is one of the top destinations for investments in Africa. And most of these investments and changes are due to 10 years of peace in the country. Before 1992, Mozambique was ravaged by a 16-year civil war. Half of the country's population was dependent on food aid for their survival, an estimated quarter of the population was displaced by the war and one million Mozambicans had sought refuge in neighbouring countries. The General Peace Accord marks its 10th anniversary on 4 October. Over the past decade, two multi-party elections have been held, refugees have long returned, people are now farming, landmines are slowly being cleared and the economy boasts a 13 percent growth rate - although international aid still plays a critical role in the economy. But it has not all been a smooth ride nor will it continue to be. According to the 1998 Mozambique National Human Development Report, sponsored by the UN Development Programme, despite the growth in the country's economy, Mozambique has the lowest per capita GDP, the most precarious school enrolment rate and one of the lowest life expectancy indices in the region. Some 69.4 percent of the 18 million population live in absolute poverty. Martins Cumbane, a security guard in Maputo, admits that his life is much better now. He had served for 20 years in the army fighting in the bush first against Ian Smith's white minority regime in what was then Rhodesia, and then Renamo rebels in Mozambique. Cumbane can now live peacefully with his wife and four children. But, he said, "my wage is not enough. Wages do not correspond to reality." Cumbane finds providing quality health care and education for his children especially difficult. He acknowledges that many new schools and health facilities have been rebuilt since the war (half of all schools and health facilities were destroyed by Renamo). "But the state-run clinics are not so good. Even the tablets they give you have sometimes expired," he said. However, the new private health clinics that have sprung up are expensive, averaging around US $20 for a consultation, just about US $10 less than the minimum wage. Cumbane's eldest daughter received a poor education. She had to attend the last shift of school, which begins at 6.30pm and ends at 11pm. Apart from the obvious problems of studying at night when a child is tired or should be playing, "transport home was very difficult for her," said Cumbane. However, a few people have become very rich, some of whom are benefiting from flourishing organised crime and corruption. Mozambique has become one of the most important corridors for drug traffickers, mainly for the South African market. Unsurprisingly, fear exists around the investigation of organised crime. One of the country's most renowned journalists, Carlos Cardoso, a father of two children, was shot and killed in the heart of Maputo almost two years ago. At the time he was delving into the disappearance of millions of dollars from one of the main banks. One of the six people held in a maximum security prison for Cardoso's murder was able to escape last month just before his trial was due. Mozambique is vulnerable to natural disasters too. Floods in February 2000 left about 700 dead, one million people displaced and economic activity disrupted in the southern part of the country. Today, a drought and resulting food shortages, although not nearly as severe as in neighbouring Zambia and Zimbabwe, threatens about five percent of the population. But the most serious modern day disaster for Mozambique is HIV/AIDS. Mozambique now has one of the world's highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates with about 12.2 percent of the adult population infected. In 1999 an estimated 600 people became infected every day. Life expectancy will drop dramatically due to AIDS and the already high infant and child mortality rates in Mozambique are expected to increase by at least 20 percent, according to UN figures. HIV/AIDS particularly affects adults between the ages of 20 to 49, who are often the income earners and the most productive members of society. Households will face the costs of increased health care, funeral expenses and loss of income due to illness and death. Moreover, many families will have to absorb children orphaned by AIDS. How Mozambique copes with the devastating HIV/AIDS epidemic, rampant poverty, corruption and organised crime will undoubtedly be key to how its notable economic developments really benefit its people over the next 10 years.