The government estimates that almost 63,000 jobs were created in the country in the first quarter of this year, higher than expected, but only 16% of the total estimated for 2023, according to official figures quoted today by Lusa.

According to the economic and social balance of the implementation of the State Budget from January to March, the public and private sectors generated 62,799 jobs in that period, above the 58,822 initially estimated by the government for the first quarter.

However, this performance is below the expected progression for this year, which the government expects to close with the creation of 381,759 jobs, while the projection for 2024 points to more than 2.9 million new jobs created in both sectors.

In 2022, according to official government figures, 371,388 jobs were created in Mozambique, up from 288,981 in 2021 and 253,542 in 2020, but lower than in 2019, before the crisis caused by the covid-19 pandemic and later by the terrorist attacks in the north, when Mozambique created 478,904 jobs in one year.

The public administration contributed 2,046 jobs to job creation between January and March this year and the private sector 41,613.

The document also mentions the intervention of the public sector in creating the conditions for 6,914 more jobs, the hiring of 5,210 foreign workers and 1,016 more for work abroad, in mines and farms, among others.

"We should also highlight the promotion of 1,429 professional internships, out of a plan of 1,245 for the period under review, corresponding to 1,51%," the document also points out.

In the Labor and Social Security sector, from January to March 3,650 new taxpayers registered, as well as 28,034 employees and 764 self-employed workers, and 1,307 commercial establishments were inspected, covering 10,319 workers, the report points out.

Mozambique's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.67% in the second quarter, driven by growth in the primary sector, according to the National Accounts report released this month by Mozambique's National Statistics Institute (INE).

This performance is in addition to the 4.17% recorded from January to March, also in year-on-year terms, resulting in accumulated economic growth in the first half of the year of 4.42%, according to INE.

The Mozambican economy is expected to grow by 5% in 2023, according to the government's forecast. (Source: Lusa)