Oxfam Mozambique on Tuesday (July 1), in Maputo, called for urgent reforms in the governance of the extractive sector, aiming to “ensure that natural resources effectively benefit the majority of the Mozambican population, and not just a narrow elite.”
Present in Mozambique since 1986, Oxfam is an international confederation of non-governmental organizations dedicated to promoting social, economic, and gender justice. Through its work with communities, civil society partners, and public institutions, the organization seeks to ensure that the country’s resources contribute to reducing inequalities and strengthening the resilience of the most vulnerable populations.
The call was made by Romão Xavier, Oxfam’s representative in Mozambique and regional coordinator for Fair Economies, during the opening session of the 1st National Conference on the Extractive and Energy Sector — a joint initiative with the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD).
In his speech, Xavier emphasized that the country holds vast mineral, energy, plant, and even forest resources, but these have historically benefited only a few, leaving out the communities that should be the main beneficiaries.
“The extractive industry continues to serve a minority, and the big challenge lies in governance. It’s not just a matter of policy, but of how those policies are implemented,” he stated. The Oxfam representative acknowledged that Mozambique has missed significant opportunities, particularly in leveraging natural gas and other strategic resources such as coal, graphite, and rubies. However, he believes the window of opportunity is still open — although increasingly narrow — to transform the country’s energy potential into a foundation for sustainable development.
In this context, he stressed the importance of using revenues from natural gas not only to promote industrialization but also to invest in renewable sources such as hydro, solar, and wind power, in order to position Mozambique as a key player in the global energy transition. “Mozambique’s energy is among the cleanest. We have sun, wind, and water. What’s missing is the capacity to turn that into usable energy, and for that we need investment — investment that can and should be generated by our own gas,” he said.
Romão Xavier also highlighted the need to invest in human capital as a crucial factor in harnessing natural resources, rejecting the idea that the country is doomed to repeat cycles of inefficient exploitation.
“We don’t all have to go back to our villages and grab a short-handled hoe. There’s still time to change. It all depends on us,” he concluded, calling for deep and committed reflection over the two days of the conference.
Text: Felisberto Ruco
