South Africa must lobby the African Union to assist Mozambique, as poverty and instability threaten regional stability and security.
Although we have a mountain of problems of our own, we cannot avert our eyes from what is happening in our neighbour, Mozambique, which is waiting for the official results of elections held last week.
The country, once a Portuguese colony, has been independent since 1974, yet it appears to be making little progress in improving the lives of its people.
It has a massive gulf between rich and poor and is endowed with mineral and natural gas resources. It would be a global tourist paradise if properly developed.
It’s consistently rated as one of the poorest countries on earth and is ranked 181 of the 189 countries on the Human Development Index.
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Still recovering from the ravages of a civil war which cost one million lives, it is now plagued by Jihadist insurrection in its northern areas.
It seems likely that the ruling Frelimo party – its supposed liberators – will be re-elected, meaning little will change for ordinary people.
South Africa has done what it can to help by providing military support for the fight in the north, but it needs to lobby for support in the African Union to save Mozambique.
Sooner or later that poverty and instability will flow over our borders.
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