Welcome to Zitamar’s daily Mozambique briefing for 27 October 2017.
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The latest from Zitamar News:
Bank of Mozambique keeps lending rate above 20% as inflation heads for single figures
Government profligacy and remaining uncertainties about the economy’s direction of travel led the central bank to only cut rates slightly yesterday.
Mozambique energy minister sees LNG plan approval and resettlement next month
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Mozambique to tie up final approvals for Anadarko LNG plant
An ENH representative has confirmed what Minister Klemens said in Japan last week – that Anadarko’s plan of development for Offshore Area 1 should be approved before the end of this year, and the green light should be given to start resettling the local community.
Vale says $2.7bn Mozambique project finance deal will close next month
Vale and Mitsui’s limited recourse financing deal will close in November, the Brazilian company said, as it announced lower profits at its Tete mining operation.
The best of the rest:
Frelimo top brass heads for Nampula (AIM)
Frelimo’s top officials, including President Filipe Nyusi, are headed for Nampula this weekend, on both state and party business. The presidential visit, starting today, will see him inaugurate a cornflour processing facility and visit an industrial institute. Meanwhile, the 180-strong Central Committee will hold a get-together in the city, led by Nyusi, in their first proper meeting since they were elected at Frelimo’s Congress at the start of this month.
There is “no particular reason” why Nampula was chosen to host the Central Committee meeting, Frelimo spokesman Cafeine Manasse said yesterday – apparently with a straight face. It’s quite the coincidence then, that they’re heading to Mozambique’s hottest political battleground right now, as Nampula prepares for a mayoral by-election at a date to be determined over the next few weeks.
Nyusi appoints new heads of police and armed forces (AIM)
President Nyusi yesterday appointed rear-admiral Lázaro Menete as head of the Mozambican armed forces, and Bernardino Rafael, chief of police in the city of Maputo, as head of the national police force. Timóteo Bernardo was named Rafael’s deputy, while Brigadier Ezequiel Muianga was named Commander of the Armed Forces.
The appointments fill the vacancies created earlier this week in a reshuffle that included the secret services, SISE.
Parliament ratifies mining health and safety convention (STV)
Mozambique’s Assembly of the Republic yesterday adopted a resolution ratifying the International Labour Organisation’s 1995 Safety and Health in Mines Convention, joining at least 32 other signatories including neighbours Zimbabwe, which ratified in 2003, and Zambia, which has had it on the books since 1999.
Foot-and-mouth outbreak in Maputo province (AIM)
The National Veterinary Directorate (DINAV) of Mozambique’s Ministry of Agriculture has imposed restrictions on the movement of livestock following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Maputo province. The outbreak was detected in Moamba district on 13 October and confirmed on 18 October. As a result, DINAV has banned all movement of cattle, goat, sheep and pigs to and from Moamba district, and any animals authorised for transfer from other districts in Maputo province must be identified individually and given a clinical examination before they are moved.
Mozambican islands for sale online (Savana)
At least two islands off the coast of Cabo Delgado – Mefunvo, in the district of Quissango, and Suafo, in the district of Palma, are up for sale for $50 million and $25m respectively, on South African trading website OLX. The Ministry of Land, Environment, and Natural Resources says it’s aware of the issue and is working to ‘neutralise and dismantle the criminal networks’ behind the advert.
Zitamar’s investigations show that the telephone number attached to the OLX advert is also used by a real estate agent in Maputo under the pseudonym of ‘Poder Supremo’. Personally we wouldn’t by 10mt phone credit from ‘Poder’, let alone a $50m island, but it takes all sorts…
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