Day: February 23, 2023

WASHINGTON, February 23, 2023 — The World Bank Group’s (WBG) Board of Executive Directors today endorsed a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Mozambique covering five years (2023-2027), with the overarching goal of supporting Mozambique to achieve a greener, resilient, and inclusive development.

“This strategy will invest in inclusive institutions, laying the foundations for a more resilient society. We will support inclusive and green jobs, notably by creating opportunities for low-skilled labor outside subsistence agriculture,” noted Idah Z. Pswarayi-Riddihough, World Bank Country Director for Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, Comoros, and Seychelles. “We will support human capital and women’s empowerment, thus helping to reduce inequality, improve inclusion, and build resilience.”

Mozambique has had one of the highest economic growth rates in Sub-Saharan Africa for over two decades. Growth was boosted by large-scale investments in the aluminum and coal industries and facilitated by sound economic management, which helped attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and development aid. The country’s strong growth performance has helped reduce poverty, but unevenly, due to its dependence on extractives.

“Amid the expected transformational revenue windfall from liquified natural gas exploration, it is critical that Mozambique gradually shifts to a growth model less dependent on extractives,” noted Paulo Correa, World Bank Program Leader for Mozambique and lead coordinator for the Mozambique CPF. “Furthermore, it is important that the country works to create jobs for most of its population,” he added.

“The CPF reflects the country’s new priorities and lessons learned from past engagements,” added Fernanda Massarongo Chivulele, World Bank Research Analyst and co-lead in preparing the CPF. “We will invest in fewer, larger, and transformational investments and emphasize the regional dimension of development with a stronger focus on gender, jobs, economic transformation, and governance.”

During this new partnership cycle, work will focus on strengthening economic recovery, aligning with the Mozambican government’s reform initiative, Pacote de Medidas de Aceleração da Economia (PAE), launched in August 2022. The reform package, expected to roll out in 2023-2024, aims to foster private sector development by improving the business environment and aligning fiscal policy with development objectives.

“We will continue to pursue opportunities to develop robust public-private partnerships in line with the broader government’s reform agenda,” noted Carlos Katsuya, International Finance Corporation (IFC) Country Manager for Mozambique. “This new partnership cycle will build on the successful collaboration between the IFC and the International Development Association (IDA), notably through private capital mobilization, which will result in additional investments to those already planned by IDA.”

The CPF design followed extensive and broad-based consultations with the government, civil society, and the donor community. It carefully considered the government’s strategic objectives, policies, and programs, lessons learned from the previous partnership cycle, and priorities identified under World Bank diagnostics. Additionally, two critical filters were applied in determining the strategy’s priorities: improving resilience and addressing fragility.

Source: World Bank

The Government and the humanitarian community launched the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan, which aims to mobilize US$2.25 billion to respond to the critical needs of 10 million vulnerable people in the country. The humanitarian situation has exacerbated over the past year due to an upsurge in violence, particularly in North Kivu province, in the east, where over 600,000 people have been displaced since March 2022. Violence has also increased in the neighbouring Ituri province, which continues to be the scene of intercommunal massacres, including in displacement sites. While in South Kivu province, diseases such as measles, continue to affect thousands of people.

Across the country, 26.4 million people are food insecure, which makes the DRC the most food insecure country in the world. With 5.7 million people displaced by the conflict, the DRC also has the largest number of internally displaced persons in Africa. In 2022, around five million people, out of the 8.8 million targeted, received humanitarian aid, two million people suffering from malnutrition had access to nutritional therapeutic care, and over 2.5 million were able to access water, hygiene and health aid. Humanitarian actors had appealed for $1.88 billion in 2022.

However, only 48 per cent, of the required funding was received, leaving millions of people without critical assistance.

CAMEROON

ARMED ATTACK ON A HEALTH CENTRE IN THE FAR NORTH

On 5 February, members a non-State armed group attacked the Ouzal health centre in the Mayo-Sava division in the Far North region damaging health equipment. The centre had already been attacked on 14 January. With the support of humanitarian organizations, the centre continues to operate providing health aid to more than 15,000 people, including internally displaced persons.

MALI

VIOLENCE CONTINUES TO AFFECT SCHOOLS IN THE NORTH

Violence continues to affect schools in northern Mali as efforts are underway to support children affected by the crisis. On 10 February, armed men set two schools in Dangatene commune in the Bandiagara region on fire, burning documents and teaching materials, which led to the closure of the schools and consequently affecting the education of 437 children. According to humanitarian organisations, as of December 2022, insecurity and violence had forced 117 schools to close in the Bandiagara region disrupting the education of over 35,000 students. Organisations continue to make concerted efforts to address education gaps in the northern regions affected by insecurity, with protection and education programmes affected children in Timbuktu and Taoudenit regions.

NIGER

ABOUT 6,700 DISPLACED RETURN TO THEIR VILLAGES IN GOROUAOL DISTRICT

On 8 and 9 February, about 6,700 displaced persons returned from Bankilare district to their villages in Goroual district, both in the Tillaberi region, in the southwest. Returnees received aid including food. In January 2023, insecurity and violence had forced over 7,000 people to flee their villages in Goroual district and seek refuge in Bankilare district.

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs