A letter sent by the state to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) indicates that the government plans to make information publicly available from September on the beneficiaries of public contracts over 60 million meticals (930.8 thousand dollars).
‘We will publish adequate, accurate and up-to-date information on a quarterly basis, on a freely accessible website, on the effective beneficiaries of entities awarded contracts by public administrations, for acquisitions above 60 million meticals, except for contracts related to defence and security, until the end of September 2024,’ reads the document sent by the authorities to the managing director of the IMF, consulted this Thursday, July 18, by Lusa.
The letter addressed to Kristalina Georgieva, dated 21 June and signed by the Minister of Economy and Finance, Max Tonela, and the Governor of the Bank of Mozambique, Rogério Zandamela, was made as part of the fourth evaluation of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme, concluded this month by the IMF, in which the government underlines its efforts to get the country off the international money laundering grey list.
‘The IMF will immediately disburse a further 3.7 billion meticals (60 million dollars) in support to Mozambique under the country’s assistance programme,’ the institution announced on 9 July.
In a statement, the IMF said that the Executive Board had concluded the regular consultation process with Mozambique for 2024 and the fourth review of the 36-month ECF agreement, which ‘allows for an immediate disbursement equivalent to 3.7 billion meticals (60 million dollars) to be used for budget support, bringing the total disbursements to Mozambique under this programme to 20.8 billion meticals (330.14 million dollars)’.
Metical
On 22 October 2022, Mozambique entered the so-called grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), for not having eliminated deficiencies in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing.
The fourth evaluation of the IMF programme took place during the period in which Mozambique implemented legislation that obliges companies to declare their owners, through legislation already approved by the government, a step considered essential to remove the country from the international grey list.
“It now obliges companies to declare their owners, which was not the case before.
International money transfers by the companies created don’t appear, or other illicit or licit acts. Now it will be obligatory to declare this person,’ explained Luís Abel Cezerilo.
