Mozambique
Mozambique is involved in armed conflicts against splinter groups of the Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) and, since 2017, against al-Shabaab, particularly in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.1 The province continues to suffer from high levels of conflict and armed violence.2 Due to this situation, it is difficult to implement ammunition management policies in the country, particularly given high levels of weapons and ammunition trafficking.3 In 2015, Mozambique completed landmine clearance operations.4
The African Union, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), Norwegian People's Aid (NPA), the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (BICC) and Fenix Insight are working on the ground to support the through-life management of ammunition, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence of Mozambique. Efforts have included providing risk assessments of ammunition storage areas; completing an online database to manage the ownership of state and civilian firearms, ammunitions and explosives; and creating a database on ongoing and completed interventions in the field of small arms and light weapons control to keep track of activities in the region.5
1 “Mozambique," Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts Project (RULAC), Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, updated September 27, 2021, https://www.rulac.org/browse/countries/mozambique#collapse1accord.
2 Edward A. Burrier, “New U.S. Plan to Address Conflict Could Boost Mozambique's Gains,” United States Institute of Peace, April 5, 2022, https://www.usip.org/publications/2022/04/new-us-plan-address-conflict-could-boost-mozambiques-gains.
3 Philip Alpers and Miles Lovell, Guns in Mozambique – Gun Facts, Figures and the Law (GunPolicy.org, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, 2022), https://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/mozambique.
4 “Mozambique Declared Free of Landmines,” BBC News, September 17, 2015, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-34275604.
5 Ammunition Management Activity Platform (A-MAP),” GICHD, 2022, https://a-map.gichd.org.
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Further information
Accidental explosions
Since the Small Arms Survey began collecting data in 1979, numerous accidental explosions have been reported in Mozambique.
Table 1. Accidental explosions in Mozambique (1979–2021)
| Year | Location | Owner/manager | Deaths | Injuries |
2008 | Beira | N/A | 0 | 0 |
2007 | Malhazine | State (military) | 0 | 3 |
2007 | Malhazine | State (military) | 107 | 515 |
2007 | Maputo | N/A | 5 | 11 |
2006 | Beira | N/A | 5 | 0 |
2005 | Beira | N/A | N/A | 1 |
2003 | Beira | State (military) | 5 | N/A |
2002 | Beira | State (military) | 5 | 50 |
1985 | Maputo | State (military) | 13 | 100 |
Source: “Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS) Database,” Small Arms Survey, updated December 15, 2021, https://smallarmssurvey.org/database/unplanned-explosions-munitions-sites-uems.
Cases of diversion
Several cases of diversion have been reported since 2012 in Mozambique.
Table 2. Cases of diversion of arms, ammunition and explosives in Mozambique since 2012
| Year | Location | Description |
| 2022 | Xai-Xai | An AK-47 and a pistol, as well as magazines containing more than 50 rounds of ammunition were stolen from a police post. |
| 2020 | Maputo | Two soldiers stole an AK-47 rifle from army stockpiles. |
| 2018 | Nampula | 2,040 AK-47 bullets went missing from an armoury warehouse over an unspecified period of time. |
2012 | Maputo | Three soldiers stole firearms from the national armoury, which included an AK-47 rifle (exact number unknown). |
Source: Oscar Nkala, “Three Mozambican Soldiers Arrested for Stealing and Selling Army Firearms,” defenceWeb, November 27, 2012, https://www.defenceweb.co.za/security/civil-security/three-mozambican-soldiers-arrested-for-stealing-and-selling-army-firearms/; “Police Detain Two Soldiers Allegedly About To Sell This AK-47 for 500,000 Meticais - Watch,” Club of Mozambique, February 1, 2022, https://clubofmozambique.com/news/mozambique-police-detain-two-soldiers-allegedly-about-to-sell-this-ak-47-for-500000-meticais-watch-208745/; “Captain Allegedly Arrested in Nampula over Ammunition Theft,” Club of Mozambique, April 12, 2018, https://clubofmozambique.com/news/mozambique-captain-allegedly-arrested-in-nampula-over-ammunition-theft-aim-report/; “Public Worried after Theft of Police Weapons in Xai-Xai,” Africa Press, February 2, 2022, https://www.africa-press.net/mozambique/all-news/mozambique-public-worried-after-theft-of-police-weapons-in-xai-xai.
Disposal
To decrease the above-mentioned risks of accidental explosions and diversion, Mozambique has disposed of its ammunition since 2001.
Table 3. Disposal of tonnes of ammunition in Mozambique (2001–22)
| Year | Tonnes of ammunition |
| 2022 | 100 |
| 2016 | 18.1 |
| 2015 | 3.2 |
| 2007 | 100 |
| 2001 | 2 |
Sources: “Blown up! 3.5 Tons of Ammo and Mortar Bombs Destroyed, ” APOPO, ReliefWeb, December 28, 2015, https://reliefweb.int/report/mozambique/blown-35-tons-ammo-and-mortar-bombs-destroyed; “20 Tons of Ammunitions Destroyed!” APOPO, ReliefWeb, April 12, 2016, https://www.apopo.org/en/latest/2016/4/11/20-tons-of-ammunitions-destroyed-; “Mozambique: Over 100 Tonnes of Obsolete Munitions Destroyed,” AllAfrica.com, November 13, 2007, https://allafrica.com/stories/200711130799.html; “Mozambique Destroy Weapons,” News24, July 9, 2001, https://www.news24.com/news24/mozambique-destroy-weapons-20010709. “Mine Action and Disarmament | By Norwegian People's Aid,” Facebook, February 4, 2022, https://m.facebook.com/watch/?v=263512372586808&_rdr.
Needs
To further enhance safe and secure ammunition management, the following needs have been identified for Mozambique:
- Development or refinement of standards and procedures on stockpile management; and
- Capacity development for the destruction of surplus stockpiles.
Source: Mozambique, National Report on the Implementation of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PoA) and the International Tracing Instrument (ITI) (New York: Permanent Mission of Mozambique to the UN, 2016), https://unoda-poa.s3.amazonaws.com/poa-reports-le/2016%40135%402016%20-%20PoA%20-%20Mozambique%20-%20E.pdf.
