Chissano defends development record

By any standards, Mozambique’s record of economic growth has been impressive - even after two years of back-to-back floods. But President Joaquim Chissano has been increasingly forced to defend himself against opposition allegations that the benefits of economic reform are limited to the ruling party’s southern heartland. “It’s true that much foreign investment has targeted the capital, but that happens everywhere, investors want communications, infrastructure and skills, but that doesn’t mean we’re ignoring the rest of the country,” Chissano told IRIN last week at the World Economic Forum in Durban, South Africa. Pointing to developments in northern and central Mozambique, Chissano insisted that the economic gains of the south were slowly spreading. “The developments along the Zambeze Corridor and new tourist and agricultural in Niassa show we are doing things for the whole country,” Chissano said. Mozambique’s opposition grouping, RENAMO, charges that the FRELIMO government favours southern provinces where it enjoys support when it comes to foreign investment and development aid. But Jeanne Stephens, head of Austral Consultancy, a Maputo-based management consultancy firm told IRIN that foreign investors in Mozambique were primarily interested in infrastructure when it came to deciding on locations. “Generally RENAMO areas do suffer from poor roads and communications and they are less accessible, things that investors in Mozambique are obviously concerned about,” Stephens said. Although Mozambique has enjoyed several years of double-digit growth, progress has to be gauged against the background of poverty caused by 13-years of civil war that ended only in 1992. Mozambique often cannot afford to build the infrastructure needed to attract foreign investment, resulting in “development pockets” based on favourable geography, natural resources and good road and port facilities. Stephens emphasised that developments along the banks of the Zambeze could be interpreted as a non-partisan approach to foreign investment. “The Zambeze Corridor development is likely to bring significant economic benefits to Tete, Sofala, Zambezia and northern Manica provinces, all areas where RENAMO has considerable support. The Beira-to-Tete railway development that will eventually link Malawi to Beira port is also likely to boost economic development in the areas it runs through. Stephens added that a big investors conference in Zambezia province recently committed foreign capital to agro-industry and hydro resources in the province. “The spectacular growth seen in and around Maputo probably wont be seen elsewhere in Mozambique but there are encouraging signs that economic development is set to be a nationwide phenomena in Mozambique,” Stephens added.