The Minister of National Defence, Cristóvão Chume, acknowledged on Thursday (27) that the country faces “serious difficulties” in acquiring lethal military equipment, pointing to budget limitations as the main obstacle. The minister therefore argued that the National Assembly should give priority to the defence sector, stressing that security is essential to attract and protect investment, according to Lusa.
“It is in military equipment that we have major difficulties, particularly in lethal equipment. The replenishment of weapons, ammunition, and other means required for combat represents a major challenge because the costs are very high, and our investment budget does not include sufficient funds,” Chume stated during a parliamentary hearing as part of discussions on the Economic and Social Plan and State Budget (PESOE) for 2026.
Despite the shortage of resources, the minister highlighted the commitment of the Defence and Security Forces, which remain active on the ground, especially in the north of the country, where they are fighting armed insurgency. He also acknowledged the support of international partners who have supplied essential equipment and technical assistance in the fight against terrorism.
The minister further stressed the direct correlation between military stability and investor confidence, citing as an example the return of multinational companies TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil to natural gas exploration projects in the Rovuma Basin in Cabo Delgado, following improved security conditions.
“We would like to reiterate the need to strengthen the idea that the defence sector must be a national priority. Where there is no security, there is no investment. And where there is security, investors appear,” the minister told members of the Defence, Security and Public Order Committee. The U.S. oil company ExxonMobil announced on 20 November the lifting of the “force majeure” clause that had suspended its mega gas project in Cabo Delgado — a key step toward a Final Investment Decision expected in 2026. TotalEnergies had already done the same for its USD 1.2 billion (79.4 billion meticais) project.
Meanwhile, the Government forecasts for 2026 the lowest budget deficit in recent years, estimated at 113.7 billion meticais (USD 1.8 billion), equivalent to 6.9% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This contrasts with the deficit estimated at 126.9 billion meticais (USD 2 billion) for the current year, equivalent to 8.2% of GDP.
According to the macroeconomic framework submitted to Parliament, the Executive revised downward its economic growth projections, now forecasting a rate of 1.9% in 2025 and 2.8% in 2026.
Source: Diário Económico
