Mozambique has been classified as a dangerous travel destination by the United Kingdom and the United States of America (USA) since the beginning of this year, joining a list of countries where travel is discouraged or requires reconsideration, the Voice of America (VOA) news agency reported on Wednesday 12 February.
According to the agency, the British Foreign Office has included Mozambique on its list of destinations for which travelling is considered high risk. Other recently added countries include Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Iran, Sudan and Lebanon.
At the same time, the US State Department is keeping Mozambique at alert level three for its citizens, out of a total of four risk levels. Within this level, Americans are advised to ‘reconsider’ travelling to the country due to the unrest resulting from the demonstrations, as well as concerns related to health, crime, civil instability and terrorism.
According to the US government, demonstrations in Mozambique have become ‘frequently violent,’ resulting in ‘looting, vandalism and destruction of property,’ adding that the police response often involves the use of ‘live ammunition and tear gas.’
The warning also points out that ‘violent crime, such as robberies, is a common occurrence in the country’, which is why American citizens are warned not to travel to certain districts in the provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula due to the risk of terrorism.
It should be noted that these classifications place Mozambique in a sensitive position on the international scene, and could have a negative impact on tourism and foreign investment in the country.
