Mozambican government aims to lift 13 million people out of poverty in 19 years
The Government of Mozambique has set a goal to lift approximately 13 million Mozambicans out of poverty within the next 19 years. Currently, about 21 million people in the country live in poverty.
According to the National Development Strategy (ENDE), the objective is to reduce the poverty rate to below 30% by 2043. The document, outlining policies and targets for 2024 to 2043, highlights the significant social challenges Mozambique faces, including access to basic services, poverty, inequality, and vulnerability to shocks and crises. The poverty rate stands at 68.2%, with a large portion of the population living below the poverty line.
The report notes that the poverty rate in Mozambique was 52.8% in 2003, decreased to 51.7% in 2009, and to 46.1% in 2015, but rose again to 68.2% in 2020 and 2022, based on a population of 31.6 million (over 21 million people).
Access to education, health, and basic services remains limited, especially in rural areas. Income inequality continues to be a challenge, negatively affecting social cohesion.
The ENDE sets a target to reduce the population living below the national poverty line to 37.8% by 2035, and further to 27.9% by 2043, out of an estimated population of 47 million. This would mean slightly over 13 million inhabitants still in poverty at the end of the program.
For this evolution, the ENDE forecasts the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita to grow from 605.9 dollars in 2022 to over 3,309 dollars in 2043, considering the commencement of natural gas extraction projects.
The document emphasizes the goal of "significant reduction of poverty and social inequalities" in Mozambique during this period.
