The Director of the Institute for Social and Economic Studies (IESE), Euclides Gonçalves, warned on Tuesday, September 23, that the country needs to “rehabilitate its relationship with scientific knowledge” and value the vast experience accumulated over 50 years of independence, under the risk of missing opportunities for social transformation.
Speaking at the opening of the 7th IESE International Conference, held this year under the theme “Mozambique 50 Years of Independence: Policies, Crises, and Social Transformation”, Gonçalves explained that holding the conference in 2025 – rather than 2024 as initially planned – was a strategic decision. On one hand, it allowed integration with the celebration of the country’s half-century of independence, and on the other, it provided a moment of internal reflection ahead of the launch, in 2026, of a new ten-year organizational planning cycle.
“Today, IESE’s work faces challenges of a political nature, such as electoral crises, armed violence, and a civic space that is simultaneously vibrant and precarious. Economically, the knowledge we produce does little to reduce social inequalities or create jobs for youth. We need to confront these challenges directly and think about how our public policies can be more effective,” he stated. Gonçalves called for a systematic analysis of policies in health, education, justice, industry, agriculture, rural development, and urban planning, emphasizing that many well-documented plans and experiences are often ignored by successive governments. “New ministers lack knowledge of their predecessors’ strategic plans, and successive governments overlook the experience accumulated by administrators, nurses, extension workers, and demobilized soldiers. This history needs to be revisited to inform our plans and help build collective aspirations,” he added.
He also warned about the growing isolation of national scientific production, criticizing the overly individualized nature of research careers and the erosion of mentorship networks. “We need to create dialogue between different knowledge sources: scientific knowledge, traditional knowledge, popular culture, the work of artists and entrepreneurs, and even the role of digital influencers. It is within this plurality that Mozambique is built,” he said.
Representing IESE’s partner group, Karin Andersson, Head of Cooperation at the Swedish Embassy, highlighted that strengthening institutions and promoting a “Democratic State” are essential to combating poverty and inequality. “IESE has established itself as an independent, high-quality research center that not only produces knowledge but positively influences legal reforms and public policies, particularly in decentralization, public finance management, and the extractive sector,” she stated, reaffirming donors’ commitment – including the embassies of Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Ireland, and Denmark – to continue supporting IESE’s work.
The conference also benefits from contributions by national universities such as Eduardo Mondlane University, Pedagogical University, and the Catholic University of Mozambique, whose researchers and students collaborate on IESE projects, enabling, according to the director, “the development of a new generation of research professionals and knowledge producers.”
The 7th IESE International Conference runs until September 24 in Maputo, featuring panels analyzing the impact of public policies on citizens’ lives, knowledge production, and research methodologies.
Text: Nário Sixpene
