The World Bank (WB) predicts that the national economy will reach a growth rate of 5% this year. The rate represents a one percent reduction in growth projections.

Mozambique will grow by only 5% this year, according to the WB's projections in its latest Global Economic Prospects report.

However, these projections indicate a reduction of 1%, since last June the same institution had projected growth of 6% for Mozambique's economy.

One of the main foundations for this projection is natural gas exports, which will begin in 2022. According to the WB, "increased demand for liquefied natural gas from Africa is expected to boost growth in Mozambique, albeit with a delay because high insecurity in the northern part of the country has interrupted the development of a major offshore natural gas project," say the institution's analysts.

The report published this week indicates that "the incidence of violence and conflict in sub-Saharan Africa remains high", not only in Mozambique, but also in countries such as Nigeria and Ethiopia.

"Such violence - one of the main drivers of food insecurity and poverty - could further hamper agricultural activities and the flow of humanitarian aid, as well as triggering delays in large-scale investment projects in the extractive sectors in some countries," the WB researchers reiterate.