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Mozambique
- The main travel risks include high crime rates, poor road safety, and occasional highway banditry.
- Petty and violent criminality is prevalent and foreigners can be directly targeted. Exercise vigilance, refrain from displaying valuables, and avoid traveling at night.
- Specific areas such as Cabo Delgado Province, along with Erati and Memba districts in Nampula Province, are highly volatile due to ongoing conflicts and terrorist activities; travel to these areas is discouraged.
Risk Factors
- Crime rates are high throughout Mozambique. Common crimes include mugging, purse-snatching, while more severe crimes include kidnapping and armed robbery. Carjackings are a significant concern, especially in Maputo and near border crossing points at Namaacha and Goba. Robbery attempts may become violent; if confronted, it is safest to comply with demands and avoid resistance to prevent the situation from escalating.
- Urban areas, especially Maputo, are hotspots for criminal activities, affecting locals and foreigners alike. Travelers are advised to avoid walking at night, to include beaches. Criminal targeting of safari lodges and game reserves remains rare.
- In Maputo, avoid walking along the interior of Marginal Road where elevated risks of armed robbery exist. Exercise caution walking along any roads bordered by thick vegetation as assailants may conceal themselves in the area.
- Travel to the provinces of Manica and Sofala carries the additional risk of road banditry. Tactics are employed to ambush or obstruct vehicles (e.g., sharp objects or staged accidents). Travel with a knowledgeable local guide and remain cautious of any persons or objects that seem suspicious while on the road.
- Kidnapping, largely in the form of kidnap-for-ransom, is most prevalent in urban centers such as Maputo, Beira, and Nampula.
- Criminal groups largely focus on affluent local businessmen, especially persons of South Asian descent due to perceived wealth.
- Business travelers with extended stays in-country are more at risk; foreign nationals are rarely affected. Limit displays of wealth and vary daily routines to reduce the chance of being targeted.
- Road travel can be hazardous due to poor road conditions and inadequate street lighting. Hiring a professional driver is recommended for exploring rural areas.
- Public transportation is often unreliable and unsafe. Travelers should use reputable transport services and avoid traveling at night.
- Booking taxis through hotels or radio dispatch services is safer than hailing taxis off the street. Tuk tuks and chapas (minibuses) should be avoided due to poor maintenance and high rates of accidents and associated fatalities.
- Yookoo Ride is a reliable and popular ride-sharing app that offers ride tracking and upfront pricing.
- Mozambique experiences occasional protests and demonstrations, which can turn violent. Travelers should stay clear of such gatherings and monitor developments for any potential unrest.
- Protests largely occur during campaign seasons and shortly after elections when tensions between the three main political parties are most acute.
- The northern province of Cabo Delgado faces a continuous risk of low-level militancy from the al-Sunnah group, who have launched various attacks since October 2017. Over 300 casualties have been identified in the region since 2017; travel should be avoided due to ongoing militant violence. The terror threat outside Cabo Delgado and the northern provinces remains low.
- Mozambique is vulnerable to cyclones and floods. The rainy season runs from January to March, increasing the risk of severe flooding and tropical cyclones along the coast. Travelers are encouraged to monitor weather alerts and follow local advisories or evacuation notices.
- Earthquakes are rare but can occur, with some moderate tremors recorded in southern regions like Gaza Province. Book modern, reputable accommodations, which are more likely to be built to seismic code.