The president of the Mozambican Chamber of Commerce (CCM) said on Wednesday 26 March that the meeting between the Mozambican President and Venâncio Mondlane was a ‘good sign’, saying that it gave hope for the development of activities in an ‘environment of peace and security’.
‘I think we were all waiting for the government to open up to dialogue with civil society, political parties and leaders, so we think it’s a good sign, it gives us hope, as businesspeople, that the country will return to the calm needed for us to develop our activities in an environment of peace and security,’ said Álvaro Massingue, speaking to journalists during an event at the Mozambique Chamber of Commerce (CCM) in Maputo.
Mozambican President Daniel Chapo met on Sunday (23) with former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane to ‘discuss solutions to the challenges facing the country’, the Presidency of the Republic announced at dawn on Monday (24).
In a statement, the Presidency explained that the meeting – the first between the two to be made public after the start of the street protests that followed the 9 October general elections – took place in Maputo and was part of ‘the ongoing effort to promote national stability and strengthen the commitment to reconciliation and unity among Mozambicans’.
Since October, the country has been experiencing a climate of strong social unrest, with demonstrations and stoppages called by Venâncio Mondlane, some of which resulted in looting and vandalisation of various commercial establishments.
At the event on Wednesday 26 March, the Mozambican Chamber of Commerce said that the episodes of vandalisation had caused ‘significant challenges’ for the private sector, affecting business development, productivity and investor confidence, pointing to security as one of the fundamental pillars for the sector.
‘The CCM recognises that stability and security in the business environment are fundamental pillars for the sustainable growth of companies and the economy in our country,’ said Ilda Matabel, secretary of the CCM assembly.
The protests, now on a smaller scale, have been taking place in different parts of the country and, as well as contesting the results, people are complaining about the rising cost of living and other social problems.
Since October, at least 361 people have died, including around two dozen minors, according to Plataforma Decide, a non-governmental organisation that monitors electoral processes.
The government has confirmed at least 80 deaths, as well as the destruction of 1,677 shops, 177 schools and 23 health centres during the demonstrations.
