o In 2011, the Bank of Mozambique and the Government developed a Financial System
Development Strategy to be consolidated in 2012, whose objective is to support the
development of the national financial sector and consequently to widen access to
financial products and services.
121. However, according to a statement by the Bank of Mozambique (2012), the interest rates on
lending are still very high, and these have been less sensitive to the management of the
Central Bank. This shows, therefore, that there are other more important variables that explain
interest rates that need to be addressed. For example, it is possible that there are
exaggerations from private banking as to the actual size of the risk.
122. So although there have been important actions on different fronts aimed at deepening the
financial market, its impact on the ultimate objective - to increase access to capital - is still low.
123. In 2011, the Mozambique Interbank Society (SIMO) was launched, to allow a reduction in the
costs of financial transactions in ATMs and POS’s through the use of a common and universal
technology platform, shared by credit institutions to ensure inter-operability of the various
networks in the country. According to the Bank of Mozambique, all banks operating in the
country will be effectively integrated with SIMO in 2013. At this time, the SIMO network
comprises 9 ATM's and 3 POS’s connected and fully operational, with three banks,
representing a market share exceeding 50%, in advanced stage of completion of testing or
adjustment of its platforms for the phase of connection to the network.
124.In addition to the ATMs and POS, commercial banks began to use alternative mechanisms,
with the obligation to always inform the Central Bank, such as Internet-Banking or the use of
mobile phones.
125. These measures represent important advances for the reduction of costs of transactions on
deposits, but the big challenge is that information technology, and particularly the internet, still
serve only a limited group of the Mozambican population, mostly in the urban environment.
126. Regarding the recommendation of the APR Panel to create a Development Bank, until 2012
there were no significant advances. A context of debate and consensus seeking prevails, given
the differences in opinions between the Government, the private sector, commercial banks and
development partners, in relation to the incentives that a development bank would create for
the economy, as well as potential constraints. However, recent developments indicate that the
newly created National Investment Bank (BNI) pass to act simultaneously as Development
Bank. BNI with 100% public shares, in the opinion of its CEO will function as the promotion of
socio-economic activity of the country and the strengthening of the productive sectors of the
economy, investment financing with repayment in the medium and long term and encouraging
productivity and competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises
127. Around the additional measures to protect the economy from adverse impacts of the current
economic crisis, Mozambique prudently took some preventive measures that have shown
results. The report of the third review of the IMF (2011), under the Policy Support Instrument,
found that Mozambique continues to resist weakening global economic prospects thanks to the
various measures that have been taken.
128. In this context, the Central Bank implemented a series of measures, as follows:
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