Maputo, Sept. 18, 2026 (Lusa) - The Mozambican Ministry of Finance stated on Friday that the groundwork has been laid for a support programme from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), following the conclusion of a 10-day working mission, and expects to continue negotiations in November to discuss targets.
In a statement issued this afternoon, at the end of the IMF mission to Maputo, the Ministry of Finance noted that the work carried out since 8 September had made it possible to «begin discussions on a potential credit facility programme» and lay the foundations for a future agreement between the parties.
During the visit, the IMF's technical team met with the prime minister, the minister of finance, Carla Loveira, the Governor of the Bank of Mozambique, the Planning and Budget Commission, and representatives from various state institutions to assess the country's economic situation.
«The discussions covered key issues in various areas, such as the performance of the real sector, fiscal and public debt sustainability, monetary policy, the foreign exchange market and structural reforms, amongst others,» the statement noted.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the mission concluded that, despite the internal and external challenges faced by Mozambique – particularly in public finances, the financial and foreign exchange sectors, and the impacts of climate shocks – the economy is showing «positive signs of recovery» and retains «significant medium-term potential linked to natural gas projects».
The ministry adds that this week's meetings are expected to «pave the way for a possible Staff Level Agreement» and subsequent consideration by the IMF Executive Board, a step considered essential for the approval of a new financing programme.
The Government also states that «a possible mission to discuss the programme's conditions, indicators and targets is planned for November 2026».
The Mozambican government had already expressed its expectation of reaching an agreement with the IMF by the end of 2026.
In a statement issued on 10 September, at the start of this mission, the Ministry of Finance indicated that it expected the work currently underway to lead to a technical agreement («Staff Level Agreement») and its formal approval by the Fund's Executive Board within the timeframe agreed between the two parties.
At the time, Minister Carla Loveira acknowledged that the economy was recovering, but warned that liquidity difficulties and constraints on the state's cash flow persisted, with impacts on budget implementation and debt servicing.
This mission took place as part of discussions regarding a potential programme under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF), a concessional financing mechanism for low-income countries.
The visit comes some three months after a preliminary IMF mission to Maputo in June, during which the institution confirmed that it had received a formal request for financial support from the Mozambican authorities.
At that time, the IMF considered that Mozambique was facing a difficult economic environment, characterised by moderate growth, accelerating inflation, fiscal and debt vulnerabilities, constraints on access to foreign exchange, and risks associated with developments in international fuel and fertiliser prices, in addition to the effects of extreme weather events.
In March this year, Mozambique made an early repayment of a debt of $698.6 million to the IMF, a move which the Government presented as a sign of prudent management of public finances and of strengthening market confidence.
The government has been seeking to reach an agreement with the IMF on this assistance programme since 2025.
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