The Citizen for Health Observatory (OCS) formally took over the leadership of the Coordination Committee of the Budget Monitoring Forum (FMO) for the 2025-27 biennium on Thursday, July 17.
According to an official statement from the organization, the inauguration ceremony took place in the city of Maputo, bringing together various segments of society, including members of the Assembly of the Republic, political party representatives, government officials, cooperation partners, academics, and civil society organizations.
The rotating leadership of the FMO, a platform made up of 21 Mozambican civil society organizations dedicated to monitoring public finances, now passes to OCS, an institution that has stood out for its work in the health sector. In his inaugural speech, OCS Executive Director Jorge Matine said the organization assumes this responsibility with the commitment to strengthen the critical role of the FMO in overseeing state finances, in a context where Mozambique continues to face structural challenges such as persistent poverty, regional inequalities, external dependence, corruption, and local technical limitations.
“We take on this role with the objective of strengthening the FMO’s capacity to influence public policies, promote fiscal justice, and rebuild trust between the state and citizens—essential pillars for national stability and development,” Matine declared. He also emphasized the importance of considering the social contract in the formulation and implementation of economic policies, noting that development cannot be discussed without adequate investment in social sectors such as health, education, and housing.
Benilde Nhalivilo, Executive Director of the Civil Society Forum for Children’s Rights (ROSC), the outgoing FMO coordinator, highlighted the platform’s contributions during its mandate, emphasizing its critical monitoring of the hidden debts trials in London and New York, as well as participation in analyzing the Government’s Five-Year Plan (2025-29) and the National Development Strategy (ENDE 2024-2044).
The new coordination cycle will be led by OCS in collaboration with four other civil society organizations: the Civil Society Learning and Capacity Building Center (CESC), N’weti, the Community Development Foundation (FDC), and the Public Integrity Center (CIP).
Source: DE
