Read more on the programme website, available in English and Portuguese.

The central goal of this collaborative programme is to support inclusive growth in Mozambique — growth that substantially improves the living standards of the country’s population over the long term.

To address ongoing challenges and make real progress, two Mozambican institutions — the Ministry of Economics and Finance, and the University Eduardo Mondlane — join forces together with two institutions with extensive international networks and experience, UNU-WIDER and the University of Copenhagen.

Together the leadership and staff of the four partner institutions have decades of experience in generating the evidence necessary for effective policy formulation, designing actual policies, and capacity-building. Joint efforts are carried out with the aim of increasing analytical capabilities and strengthening policy-making in the country. Through the project, partners work to seize new opportunities, while scaling-up past efforts and aiming for major broad-based impact on the welfare of the Mozambican people.

Key working areas:

• employment creation and protection of vulnerable groups
• maintaining long-term macroeconomic balance
• furthering structural transformation
• improving socioeconomic information systems for monitoring and evaluation

Background

Two decades have passed since democratic elections ushered in a new era in Mozambique. In that period, a great deal has been accomplished with nearly all development indicators registering improvements, often substantial, relative to their position in the mid-1990s. Progress has nevertheless brought new challenges.

In the early post-war period, the development task was comparatively simple. The overriding aims were to rebuild social and economic infrastructure, embed macroeconomic stability, and promote both domestic and foreign investment. As many of these post-conflict goals have been realized, the complexity of policy issues facing government has increased exponentially, reflecting the surge in the breadth and depth of economic, social, and political activities.

There is a strong potential for the country to continue registering rapid economic progress in years to come. Mozambique clearly has the possibility of leaping to middle-income status from both economic and social perspectives within the next two decades. However, it is not a foregone conclusion that this potential will be grasped. Research and further capacity are critical to setting down the right path.