EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. BACKGROUND i. Mozambique has had a traumatic past. Its complex history includes a prolonged period of colonisation by Portugal lasting 490 years – one of the longest in Africa; an unsuccessful experience with socialism; and, above all, a ubiquitous and fratricidal civil war that plunged the entire country into political instability, massive social dislocation, economic ruin and mass poverty. ii. Independence was achieved in 1975, largely through a violent armed struggle. Initially, there were great hopes for building a united, peaceful and egalitarian society. Unfortunately, this was not to be. Shortly afterwards the country was engulfed in a vicious and brutal civil war, which left a trail of destruction and caused considerable suffering and human misery. Mozambicans had to contend with very high poverty levels and a negative economic growth rate. Their quality of life probably ranked amongst the worst in the world. iii. Mozambique, however, resembles the legendary phoenix, a mystical bird that is born again from its own ashes. Undoubtedly, still one of the poorest countries in the world, Mozambique has had a remarkable renaissance in the face of persistent natural and manmade adversity. Since the mid-1990s, it has reinvented itself as a highly successful country in post-conflict transition, with an impressive economic growth and sustained macroeconomic and political stability. iv. Since the end of the devastating civil war in 1992, the country has enjoyed a remarkable recovery. Between 1996 and 2007 it achieved an average annual economic growth rate of 8 per cent, which is one of the highest in the world. As a result, the poverty headcount index fell by 15 percentage points between 1997 and 2003, bringing almost 3 million people (out of a total population of 20 million) out of extreme poverty. From the human development perspective, this has meant a decrease of 35 per cent in infant and under-five mortality, and an increase of 65 per cent in net primary school enrolment. There was relatively little inequality by regional standards, and progress has been made in achieving the key Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with respect to infant mortality and primary school enrolment. v. On the democratic front, the country has also made notable progress. Democratic principles are being respected and the country has consistently held 1 COUNTRY REVIEW REPORT • MAY 2010