Corruption the 'bane' of Moz
2009-06-30 19:03
Libya - Mozambique has reversed the economic collapse caused by its civil war, but corruption has become the "bane" of its public service, African experts said on Tuesday in a report on its governance.
The 440-page report covering Mozambique's political, economic and social conditions was conducted under the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), a voluntary scheme designed to promote good governance.
The southern African nation won praise for overcoming the legacy of the war that left the nation impoverished and its infrastructure shattered, but the report warned that corruption has turned into a major drain on the country.
'Social tolerance of corruption'
"Corruption is another bane of the public service of Mozambique," according to a copy of the document seen by AFP. "It occurs in the award of huge construction contracts, in procurements, and is generally rife among the civil servants delivering service to the public. There appears to be social tolerance of corruption because it is very pervasive."
"It is essential for the government to demonstrate in a very tangible way its political commitment to address the problem of corruption," it added.
But the report heaped praise on the country's economic performance, while raising concerns that recent growth had not created enough jobs.
"The economic policies of the government have largely succeeded in reversing the macroeconomic disequilibria which the economy suffered during the 16-year civil war," the report said.
Economic growth averaged 8.1% per year from 1998 to 2006, while inflation dropped from 60% in 1989 to 8-10% in recent years, it noted.
Poverty levels have dropped from 69.4% of the population in 1997 to 54.1% in 2003, it added.
The report's findings will be debated later on Tuesday by countries participating in the so-called African Peer Review Mechanism, on the eve of an African Union summit in the seaside Libyan town of Sirte. A final report will be made public later.
- SAPA