Mozambique Transformation 1992-2000.

The Mo Ibrahim Award Press Release 2007 source: the Mo Ibrahim  Foundation. About the Mo Ibrahim Award

                                            From President Joaquim Chissano’s address, 1993:  (Courtesy the GAPWM Scientific Advisory Board)

An astonished press  began to report  the changes. The New York Times, February 22, 1993, said: 

            “Mozambique has  unexpectedly  emerged  as a candidate for an African  success.  story (…….). A ruthless  drought (……) has been broken  by  quenching  rains  and  the  country  is  carpeted  with  corn.  “We’ve  got  a   combination  of   peace   and  rain,  which   there hasn’t been in Mozambique  for a quarter  of a century,” marveled Arthur M. Hussey III, coordinator of relief deliveries for CARE. “

In 1999 the New York Times wrote:

            “Seven years after the guns fell silent,  jackhammers are ringing, new hotels are rising, schools are opening, and newly paved roads are rolling across the land.

                The war-torn, once ravaged  countryside is now lush with corn, cashews and mangoes. Inflation has dropped  to 2%, from 70% in 1994. The economy has grown an average of 10% a year since  1996. After years of relying on donated food, Mozambique now grows nearly
enough to feed itself. Once a symbol of Africa's calamitous wars, Mozambique is now a success story."

(L.R. Swarns, The New York Times, December 3, 1999, A3

                          Mozambique Transformation 1992-2000

• In 1992, according to the UN list, Mozambique was the world’s poorest country, with the  lowest GNP per capita and a huge foreign debt. It suffered a long bloody civil war which claimed 600,000 lives and displaced two million people. Experts predicted the 1990s would be even more difficult than the turbulent 1980s.

• In 1992 President Chissano introduced the Unified Field Technology plan in the military and police forces. The President, his cabinet, the Chiefs of Staff of the military carefully and critically studied the plan with statistical data, presented to them by the scientists. They made a unanimous decision to adopt it. Mozambique established the first in history, Preventive Wings with their military and police personnel. The armed forces created an advanced Unified Field Technology group TMSidhi with 3,000  soldiers, and a regular Unified Field Technology group TM program with 16,000 participants who included military personnel, police, and some civilians, office staff and family members. The total Unified Field Technology group had 19,000 people.The group did time-coordinated regular daily program.

• In 1993 violence was removed, as statistically predicted. Crime rate dropped 20% in two major cities Maputo and Quelimane, the reverse of what is expected after the war. Mozambique had 19% economic growth Climate changed unexpectedly, the rains came 6 months sooner than expected in 1993.

• In 1994 Inflation dropped  to 2%, from 70% . The economy had grown an average of 10% a year since  1996. After years of relying on donated food, Mozambique grew nearly enough to feed itself.

• In 1997, the economy was growing at 12,4% per year, the highest among all African nations.  Inflation had plummeted. The country erased its massive overseas debt, had enjoyed the most stable currency values in Africa, and happened to discover the world’s largest deposits of  titanium. The peace process stabilized, icluding free elections. By the year 2000 Mozambique had the world’s fastest growing economy.

In 2007 President Joachim Chissano received the Inaugural Mo Ibrahim Award. His achievement gave rise the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG). The Mo Ibrahim Award is twice bigger than the Nobel Peace Prize.

Source: the GAPWM Scientific Advisory Board, The New York Times,  Wikipedia

In  perspective:

The Independent, UK, 2007