Maputo, Sept. 11, 2025 (Lusa) - Mozambique secured foreign donations of US$110.8 million (€94 million) in the first six months of the year, according to data from a government implementation report, to which Lusa had access on Thursday.
According to data from the Ministry of Finance, US$100 million (€85 million) was mobilised during this period from the World Bank for the Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation in Mozambique (ASCENT) programme, which was concluded in May.
In addition, there is another donation of US$10.8 million (€9.1 million) from the African Development Bank (AfDB) for the Climate Resilient Food and Nutrition Security for Women, Youth and Smallholders (CREFONS) programme, which was concluded in January.
"During this period, no [external] credit agreements were signed," the document adds.
The World Bank will move forward with a five-year partnership with Mozambique, focusing on tourism, energy and youth training, the institution's president announced on 20 July in Maputo, arguing that it is urgent for the country to stabilise its accounts.
"The first thing Mozambique must do is make an effort to stabilise its macro-fiscal situation. Because if it doesn't do that, it is very difficult to bring stability to the population and attract the private sector," said World Bank Group (WB) President Ajay Banga, questioned by Lusa on Wednesday at the end of a two-day visit to the African country.
"You have a young and growing nation. And that is your dividend," he stressed, pointing out the priority of “dignity” in employment for the population and of training young people: "We don't have 30 years to do this properly. Because if young people have no hope, they will do things we don't want, including migrating to other places and causing instability."
Banga, who met the previous day in Maputo with Mozambican president Daniel Chapo, argued that it is necessary to "give an opportunity" to young people and the private sector that creates jobs.
"I think there are four or five things that we, as an institution, can do with Mozambique. Create a new national partnership framework, a five-year vision, help with energy, with the corridors [three, connecting ports to the interior and neighbouring countries], with agriculture and small businesses, with training and with tourism," he listed, reinforcing the call for the organisation of the country's macro-fiscal situation.
"They have sun, gas, hydroelectric power. They have the capacity to generate electricity (...), they are one of the largest suppliers to the southern African energy grid, there is huge demand for electricity in other countries, in most cases there is a shortage. Therefore, the possibility of earning foreign exchange and, at the same time, becoming a regional electricity integrator is enormous," emphasised the WB president.
Ajay Banga highlighted Mozambique's commitment to tourism and the contribution that the World Bank can make in this new partnership, assuming that it is ‘a blessed country’ with beaches and ‘good people’.
"Tourism is the biggest job multiplier for every dollar invested. And I think he [the Mozambican President] is very focused on that, and rightly so. They already have good tourism. I'm talking about multiplying that figure. We will work with it on a tourism plan that covers business and conference destinations, social and wedding destinations, and finally, high-value sustainable tourism. Once again, they have all the necessary attributes for this. Wildlife, beaches, golf courses," he said.
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