Maputo, 3 Jun (AIM) – Mozambique leads the ranking of nations with the highest accumulated debts in the aviation sector, as it owes over 200 million dollars to international airlines that it uses for trips abroad, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
According to IATA, the country, over the last six months, failed to channel 205 million dollars to international airlines that it uses for trips abroad “and it heads a group of ten nations that account for 80% of the amounts not transferred to airlines worldwide. Between October 2024 and April 2025, Mozambique topped the list of countries with the highest amounts withheld from the purchase of tickets for international flights.”
“Although the total value of funds withheld worldwide has decreased by 25% compared to the 1.7 billion dollars recorded in October 2024, Mozambique stands out negatively, worsening its position on the international aviation scene”, reads the note.
According to IATA, globally, funds blocked to airlines, which are unable to repatriate them, amounted to 1.3 billion dollars at the end of April, with the Africa and Middle East (AME) region accounting for 85% of the total, equivalent to 1.1 billion dollars.
The Association of Travel Agencies and Tour Operators of Mozambique (AVITUM) has announced that the debts are related to the shortage of foreign currency, particularly of US dollars.
According to João Neves, vice-president of AVITUM, cited by the independent daily “O País”, the problem may be even deeper and the government has not taken the lack of liquidity seriously enough.
“It seems to me that our leaders have not taken this issue to heart, with the necessary seriousness. We have heard communications from the Bank of Mozambique and other entities saying that there is no problem. They suggest expanding the number of banks for shop-around, but that doesn’t always work”, he said.
Neves called for urgent adoption of measures to prevent the country from being suspended from the international aviation system.
“We need to establish payment plans that allow us to repay the debt and reduce the demand for foreign currency. I believe it’s possible to prioritize certain strategic sectors and possibly penalize or discourage others”, he said.
For his part, Muhammad Abdullah, CEO of Cotur, one of the country’s most prominent travel agencies, said that the situation is worrying travel agencies, “which fear a worsening of the already fragile national market.”
“It conveys a negative image and puts off new investors and airlines, which don’t even consider looking into the possibility of operating in Mozambique. We recently had the case of Ethiopian Airlines, which suspended its sales in the country”, Abdullah said.
(AIM)
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