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On a bus on the way to the north of the country. Bus
is the only way to move in the country for poor people. From Maputo to
Nampula by bus it's a 3-4 days trip. Sometimes they have to wait one day more
to cross the Zambesi river.
Summary:
In 1994, in the first multi-party election after the
peace treaty, the new government in Mozambique inherited a country exhausted
by thirty years of anti-colonialism followed by civil war. Mozambique was
one of the poorest countries of the world. The reconstruction and the
structural reform were entrusted to the IMF. The macroeconomic results were
undoubtely positive, inflation reduced, more and more substantial foreign
investments, favoured by political stability and by the rich resources.For
the IMF Mozambique is a "success story". But is it really? The
truth is that Mozambicans are paying a high price to follow the requests of
macroeconomics. Almost no investments were made for the infrastructures of a
mainly agricultural economy. Even less in human resources: schools and
healthcare are still a terrible mess. A big percentage of the population,
approximately 18 million people, is still living under the minimal poverty
level, which is a dollar a day. Yet, according to the macroeconomic data,
which indicates an annual growth of the GNP of 10-12% since 1997, the
country is in full economic boom. The World Bank cynically defines this
phenomenon a "growth with poverty". After a decade of peace and
political stability, Mozambique is still one of the poorest countries of
the world, the 170th of 175 countries.
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