Message from the Chief Representative

For the social development with sustainable economic growth of Mozambique

Mozambique has achieved an average annual economic growth of about 7% since 1992. However, it is categorized as one of the lowest income countries and the least developed countries, since its gross national income per capita is USD490 (2019 World Bank statistics) and the Human Development Index is 181st out of 189 countries (2020 United Nations statistics). In 2020, like most other countries, Mozambique was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, recording negative economic growth for the first time since 1992.

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Mozambique is indeed facing difficult situation economically and socially, but I can still say that it is a country full of potential for future development taking into consideration its size, which is twice as big as Japan, and its abundant natural resources such as coal and natural gas, etc.

JICA Mozambique opened its office in Maputo in April 2003. Since then, there have been so many JICA projects that I cannot mention them all in this page, but it is worth referring to our focus on promoting: human development through cooperation in health, medicine and education sectors; agricultural development through assistance to small farmers; industrial development through the facilitation of sustainable economic growth activating private sector business and improving socioeconomic infrastructure such as roads, port and power, etc.; safe water; environmental sustainability and measures against climate change.

COVID-19 is a threat not only to the lives and health of people around the world; it is also a threat to human security as it devastates societies and their economies. Against this background, JICA is forging ahead with its Initiative for Global Health and Medicine, which aims to protect people from health crises. In Mozambique, we are working proactively on the human resources capacity development and provision of necessary equipment in collaboration with the authorities in charge of the health sector.

Considering the geographical characteristics of Mozambique of having several outports, which are the strategic gateways not only for Mozambique but also for its neighboring landlocked countries such as Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, etc., the promotion of the socioeconomic development of Mozambique does not limit its effect in Mozambique but it also gives positive impact on the socioeconomic development of the landlocked countries of the region. Therefore, we would like to take this opportunity to implement a more effective cooperation with a wider point of view, with the vision of economic development and industrial promotion that can possibly lead to the improvement of connectivity of the countries of the southern African region, responding simultaneously to the development needs of Mozambique, which is always our priority target.

JICA Mozambique has been executing a wide range of cooperation through flexible combination of various types of methods, such as Technical Cooperation, Loans and Grants. Here are some of the cumulative numbers of the people involved in our cooperation activities with Mozambique, as of March 2021: 16,764 Mozambicans trained; 1,878 Japanese experts dispatched; 332 Japanese volunteers dispatched.

Looking ahead, JICA Mozambique will continue to work hand in hand with the people of Mozambique, and we will do our utmost to ensure the social development with sustainable economic growth of Mozambique and the southern African region, under our vision of "Leading the world with trust".

5th January, 2022
MATSUMOTO Hitoshi
Chief Representative, JICA Mozambique