A crise do programa Mosagrius na província de Niassa e suas consequências sócio-econômicas, 1996-2004

Abstract

As a result of the good relations between the governments of Mozambique and South Africa, an agreement called Agreement on Basic Principles of Understanding on the Mosagrius Programme was signed in Maputo in 1996, where the South African side showed interest in investing in Mozambique, in the field of agriculture and tourism. That is why Sociedade de Desenvolvimento Mosagrius was created, a company that would interpret all the instruments of the agreement signed by the governments of Mozambique and South Africa. In its first phase of emergency and development, the Mosagrius Programme created enormous expectations in the local community, as well as at the level of the two governments and of the local and foreign business community. It made investments in social and economic areas, contributed to the introduction of new cultures to the province, and created space for the participation of both Mozambican and South African farmers in the management of the Programme. In the background the Programme fell at a delicate crossroads: the financial crisis added to the mismanagement of funds and caused the consortium of the Mozambican state, SACADA, to abandon the Programme. In addition to additional problems, the state of the infrastructures, the weak commercial network in the region, especially in Niassa province, the weakness of the road and rail network. All this had repercussions on the quality of life of the population, thus increasing poverty, abandonment, marginalisation and consequent unemployment, and disintegration of the Mosagrius Development Society. (TRADUÇAO NOSSA)