Browsing: Oil and Gas in Mozambique

After a substantial decline in 2021, Mozambique’s GDP is expected to recover to 4.5% at the closing of 2022 and potentially expand to 5.1% in 2023.  The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, extreme climactic events and jihadist insurgency in the north of Mozambique were the driving factors of the contraction in the economy.

As a consequence of violence in the northern gas-rich province of Cabo Delgado, French energy firm TotalEnergies, declared force majeure at its Area 1 site in May 2021, after an attack on a nearby town. Several mines and other businesses in the province have also suspended operations following recent attacks.

Over the course of 2022, the prospects of the TotalEnergies improved, owing to territorial gains made near the site.  The decrease in insurgency and piracy has been seen as a major setback for rebels. The progress on security is thankful to a combined military intervention from defense …

Last March the IMF and Mozambique announced they’ve reached a staff-level agreement on a US $470M facility marking the fund’s much-anticipated return to the country.

At the same time, a set of measures were presented in line with the upcoming new program including the approval of a sovereign wealth fund legislation, fiscal & governance reforms, and the publication of a report on the management of funds the country received from donors as part of its COVID emergency response.

In line with the announcements, the Ministry of Finance has published today (document in Portuguese) a report showing that at the beginning of the pandemic, the country forecasted a total need of US$700M in order to mitigate the effects of the crisis. The document refers to US$386,5M in funds deployed in the 2020 fiscal year received from the IMF, the AfDB, the European Union, the US government, the Islamic Bank, …

Oil and gas projects are very complex due to a variety of challenges that need to be overcome. Risk management and financial burden are some of the hottest issues currently on these projects.

Now imagine you add Covid-19 and insurgent movements near the project area.

“The French oil and gas company Total is considering setting up a logistical base for its Mozambican operations, not only in part of Mozambique, but on the French Indian Ocean possession of Mayotte, according to a report (…)” as per the digital news portal Club of Mozambique.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise at all.

Being part of the French territory, Mayotte offers the best option for Total as a preferential hub for their project in Mozambique. France operates a military base in Mayotte, in the form of a detachment of its Foreign Legion, making the island a super safe place.

Mayotte is very well …