Economic Conditions, 1970-1995

Dossier MZ-0013

General Articles and Reports on the Economic Situation

This dossier includes a small selection of articles and reports about the macro-economic condition of Mozambique from the 1970s until 1995. Please note that much if not most of this reportage is not and does not claim to be in-depth or "scientific" analysis of economic trends; for this kind of analysis, please refer to the academic literature. The dossier also contains some material on statistical policy.

The period covered by the dossier saw dramatic shifts in macro-economic policy in Mozambique – from the exploitative economic policies of the colonial regime, through the prolonged attempt at a planned economy from 1974 to 1986, followed by the structural adjustment of the PRE period after the death of Samora Machel, through to the "free market" policies of the post-1994 pluralist epoch.

MHN plans to add pages including articles on specific economic sectors (e.g. cashew, energy, finance and banking, domestic trade, etc.) to this website in the near future.

MHN Resources

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The Economic Impact of Political Pluralism, 1994-

◊ 4 August 1996
Abreu Sumbane. Matutuíne: população clama pela reposição de infra-estrutura. Domingo [Maputo], 4 August 1996, page 19. Click here to view or download a PDF file [492 Kb.]
People in Matutuíne are having to walk 50 to 70 kilometres to access health services or food supplies; the situation has worsened after refugees returned.

◊ 3 August 1996
Comunidade internacional ignora independência económica de Moçambique, acusa Silas Serqueira, membro do Conselho Português para a Paz e Cooperação. Notícias [Maputo], 3 August 1996. Click here to view or download a PDF file [199 Kb.]
Serqueira, a Portuguese specialist on southern Africa who spent many years in clandestine activity for the PCP, later took up an academic career but remained an activist as well.

◊ 1 September 1995
Meshack Mabogoane. Mozambique well on its way to a free market economy. Weekly Mail and Guardian, 1 September 1995. Click here to view or download a PDF file [129 Kb.]

◊ 2 June 1995
Reg Rumney. Mozambique's ambitious privatisation plan. Weekly Mail and Guardian, 2 June 1995. Click here to view or download a PDF file [113 Kb.]

◊ 23 January 1994
Tendai Dumbutshena. How to survive on R45 a month. Sunday Times [Johannesburg], 23 January 1994. Click here to view or download a PDF file [1.2 Mb.]

◊ 3 January 1994
País mais pobre do ano – Banco Mundial. Século do Joanesburgo 3 January 1994. Click here to view or download a PDF file [72 Kb.]
Mozambique was ranked the poorest country in the world for 1992 by the World Bank.

◊ January 1994
Martine Karakatounian. Food aid policies distort local markets. African Business January 1994, pages 24-25. Click here to view or download a PDF file [91 Kb.]

The Economic Rehabilitation Program (ERP), 1987-

◊ 4 October 1993
Moçambicanos estão com um rendimento «per capita» de apenas 63.4 dólares. Século do Joanesburgo 4 October 1993, page 15. Click here to view or download a PDF file 122 Kb.]

◊ 21 July 1993
Devolver a dignidade ao povo passa pela reconstrução da economia e pelo desenvolvimento das zonas rurais – reconheceu o primeiro-ministro no seminário «Moçambique: compromisso com o futuro». Século do Joanesburgo 21 July 1993. Click here to view or download a PDF file 126 Kb.]

◊ 11 February 1993
Civil war survivors fight bankruptcy economy. Daily Gazette [Harare], 11 February 1993. Click here to view or download a PDF file [83 Kb.]

◊ 8 January 1993
Mozambique: economic reality. Africa Confidential [London], vol.34, no.1, 8 January 1993. Click here to view or download a PDF file [80 Kb.]

◊ 1993
Mozambique: the high cost of peace. SADC Top Companies Report, 1993, page 66. Click here to view or download a PDF file [169 Kb.]

◊ 9 October 1992
Local business pleads for aid before doors open. South Scan, 9 October 1992. Click here to view or download a PDF file [31 Kb.]

◊ 2 August 1992
Em tempo de paz, dos desafios que esperam aos empresários. Domingo, 2 August 1992. Click here to view or download a PDF file [56 Kb.]

◊ July 1992
Guy Mhone. Mozambique: structural adjustment in a war economy. Southern African Political and Economic Monthly, July 1992, pages 14-17. Click here to view or download a PDF file [548 Kb.]

◊ 7 May 1992
Tony Carnie. Maputo clawing itself out of the gutter. Natal Mercury, 7 May 1992. Click here to view or download a PDF file [125 Kb.]

◊ 14 February 1992
The economy stirs in Maputo. Natal Mercury, 14 February 1992. Click here to view or download a PDF file [89 Kb.]

◊ 6 February 1992
Mozambique looks to a better 1992. Business Herald [Harare], 6 February 1992, page 11. Click here to view or download a PDF file [129 Kb.]

◊ 25 January 1992
Luís José Loforte. Homens sem rosto. Notícias, 25 January 1992. Click here to view or download a PDF file [223 Kb.]

◊ 22 January 1992
Gonçalves Gauth. Oitenta famílias coabitam com bois numa quinta na Beira: Conselho Executivo diz que vai tomar medidas contra o infractor. Notícias, 22 January 1992. Click here to view or download a PDF file [155 Kb.]

◊ 20 January 1992
Mozambique steps up free enterprise. Chronicle [Bulawayo], 20 January 1992. Click here to view or download a PDF file [146 Kb.]

◊ 20 October 1990
José Martins Barata. Moçambique: as leis inexoráveis do mercado. Expresso, 20 October 1990. Click here to view or download a PDF file [267 Kb.]

◊ 24 July 1990
Descentralizar para libertar iniciativa. Notícias, 24 July 1990. Click here to view or download a PDF file [281 Kb.]

◊ 5 May 1990
Graham Lord, The sewer of Africa. The Spectator, 5 May 1990, pages 19-20. Click here to view or download a PDF file [278 Kb.]

◊ 22 January 1989
Espero que o PRE não piore: Rosa Paulo dos Santos, 17 anos. Domingo, 22 January 1989. Click here to view or download a PDF file [97 Kb.]

◊ 18 August 1988
Mozambican economy shows growth. MIO News Review, no.135, 18 August 1988. Click here to view or download a PDF file [52 Kb.]

◊ 14 October 1987
Dez meses depois do PRE, é encorajador crescimento atingido, considera Ministro Osman. Notícias, 14 October 1987. Click here to view or download a PDF file [46 Kb.]

◊ 5 September 1987
Peter Goodspeed. Mozambique's rulers inherited shell of a nation. Toronto Star, 5 September 1987. Click here to view or download a PDF file [123 Kb.]

◊ September 1987
Reativar a economia e os transportes. Cadernos de Terceiro Mundo, no.101, September 1987, pages 18-21. Click here to view or download a PDF file [88 Kb.]

The Planned Economy, 1974-1986

◊ 3 January 1984
Bernardino Duarte. O maior responsável chama-se Frelimo. O Diabo, 3 January 1984. Click here to view or download a PDF file [149 Mb.]

◊ 3 January 1984
National Planning Commission. Economic report. (Maputo: CNE, January 1984. Click here to view or download a PDF file [3.5 Mb]
This 68-page mimeographed report caused a stir when it was first distributed in diplomatic circles. Supplementary tables were supposedly distributed to the embassies of the socialist bloc countries.

◊ 23 May 1983
Mozambique leader announces plans for more private enterprise. New York Times, 23 May 1983. Click here to view or download a PDF file [89 Kb.]

◊ 30 April 1983
Mozambique: three-year programme. Africa Research Bulletin (Economic), 30 April 1983. Click here to view or download a PDF file [100 Kb.]

◊ 23 April 1983
Maputo: problemas económicos no centro do congresso da Frelimo. Expresso, 23 April 1983. Click here to view or download a PDF file [162 Kb.]

◊ 26 March 1983
Samora Machel critica economia moçambicana. Expresso [Lisbon], 26 March 1983, page 2. Click here to view or download a PDF file [74 Kb.]

◊ 4 March 1983
Michael Holman. Mozambique carries brave banner through crises. Financial Times, 4 March 1983.Click here to view or download a PDF file [157 Kb.]

◊ 3 December 1982
Quem é o dono da política? Notícias, 3 December 1982. Click here to view or download a PDF file [138 Kb.]

◊ 5 October 1980
Cynthia Stevens. Mozambicans turn to rebuilding nation. Los Angeles Times, 5 October 1980. Click here to view or download a PDF file [209 Kb.]

◊ 6 October 1978
Mozambique: changing tune. Africa Confidential, vol.19, no.20, 6 October 1978, pages 1-2. Click here to view or download a PDF file [433Kb.]

◊ 14 April 1978
Mozambique: economic pragmatism. Africa Confidential, vol.19 no.8, 14 April 1978, pages 2-4. Click here to view or download a PDF file [1.1 Mb.]

◊ 14 November 1977
Michael T. Kaufman. Mozambique is viewed as Africa's best hope for the flowering of socialism's "New Man". New York Times, 14 November 1977. Click here to view or download a PDF file [305 Kb.]

◊ December 1976
Tony Hodges. Mozambique: Machel wants production not ideology. African Development, December 1976, page 1236-1237. Click here to view or download a PDF file [327 Kb.]

◊ 1 October 1976
«Sabotage économique» à  la firme Monteiro et Giro: une commission administrative est nommée. Marchés Tropicaux et Méditerranéens, 1 October 1976. Click here to view or download a PDF file [57 Kb.]

◊ 3 November 1975
Bridget Bloom. Mozambique between revolution and pragmatism. Financial Times, 3 November 1975. Click here to view or download a PDF file [279 Kb.]

The Colonial Economy to 1974

◊ 20 September 1970
A economia de Moçambique na década de 60. Tempo, no.1, 20 September 1970, pages 63-67. Click here to view or download a PDF file [729 Kb.]

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