Good afternoon. Mozambique's stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been a source of considerable interest, including in the pages of Zitamar News. Today, we are able to publish a thorough analysis of Mozambique's stance towards Russia, written by Zitamar's Editor at Large, Fernando Lima, for Cabo Ligado.
Fernando Lima
Leader article continues below for Pro subscribers. Subscribers to the Zitamar News tier can read the full leader article here.
As is frequently pointed out, Russia - or the Soviet Union - was an ally of Mozambique in the years immediately following independence, when Mozambique was under existential threat from its neighbours Rhodesia and South Africa. What is less well known is that that relationship soured after the end of the Cold War, when Russia demanded repayment for the military aid it had provided. It was only under the Nyusi presidency that that debt was cleared — mostly forgiven on condition it was considered aid, and used in humanitarian projects in Mozambique with Russian involvement.
