The national director of Economic Policies and Development at the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), Enilde Sarmento, said on Tuesday 14 May that Mozambique’s economic development in recent years has had little impact on the lives of its citizens, especially in the health and education sectors.
The newspaper O País explains that she was speaking in Maputo during the first of three days of debate on the evolution of the international financial architecture, an event organised by the United Nations University.
‘Over the last ten years, the country has seen considerable economic growth, mainly influenced by the discovery and exploitation of mineral resources, but this has not been accompanied by an improvement in the basic living conditions of the population,’ she said, quoted in an article in the newspaper. She added: ‘There has been more or less consolidated growth over time and there has been some improvement in some very important indicators. However, the challenges of inclusive growth as such persist, as we still face constraints on the fiscal side, as everyone knows.’
Enilde Sarmento – National Director of Economic Policies and Development at the Ministry of Economy and Finance
The source explained that resources are scarce, as is their allocation to priority sectors, both from a social and economic point of view, ‘with special attention to social sectors such as health and education, where there is a reduction in the distribution of resources in the years when economic shocks are greatest,’ she explained.
‘We’re only giving a few examples here from agriculture, fishing and industry, and we’re referring to the National Development Strategy, a macro and main instrument with a 20-year horizon, clearly defining the country’s development trajectory, as well as the priority sectors and areas. We need to improve social protection programmes and productive employment and we need to create a favourable business environment,’ said Enilde Sarmento.
For his part, Jaime Comiche, the United Nations representative, defended the need for more investment in communities, especially rural ones, to avoid conflicts like the one in Cabo Delgado.
