VZCZCXYZ0028
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTO #1450/01 3131517
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091517Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6389

UNCLAS MAPUTO 001450 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXB USTDA OTRA MZ
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR TOM RUSH TO TRAVEL 
TO MOZAMBIQUE 
 
REF: STATE 184029 
 
¶1. Embassy Maputo welcomes and grants country clearance 
for Tom Rush to travel to Mozambique, from 13 Nov 2006 
until 15 November 2006 to research and prepare a 
conference briefing book highlighting issues and 
opportunities in the information and communications 
technology sector of Sub-Saharan Africa region. Please 
advise as soon as possible regarding any schedule or 
itinerary changes; refer to paragraph 13 regarding visa 
requirements. 
 
¶2. Control Officer:  Brooke Williams, Commercial 
Officer at the Embassy, will be control officer. She 
can be contacted at: 
 
-- Office telephone:  (258) 2149-27-97, ext.3421 
-- Office fax:        (258) 2149-35-74 
-- Cellular:          (258) 82-300-0834 
 
¶3.  Hotel Reservations:  Post understands that the no 
assistance is required. 
 
¶4. Medical Services:  Maputo has limited medical 
facilities.  Visitors will have to be medevaced in the 
event of a major injury or illness.  In the past, we 
have had visitors nearly die because details of their 
medevac insurance were not readily available.  Direct 
Hire employees (not contractors) of the Department of 
State, USAID, Department of Defense, CDC, and Peace 
Corps need not take any further action.  Direct Hire 
employees of other U.S Government agencies are 
requested to provide to their control officer before 
arrival a name and 24-hour point of contact for their 
agency that can authorize medical evacuation. 
Contractors are requested to provide to their control 
officer before arrival the name, phone number, and 
policy number of their medevac insurance provider(s) 
for use in case of emergency. 
 
¶5. Health:  Travelers are advised that chloroquine 
resistant malaria is present in Mozambique.  The most 
recent guidance from the Department of State Medical 
Office recommends weekly use of mefloquine as the drug 
of choice for malaria prophylaxis in chloroquine- 
resistant areas. Mefloquine must be started one to two 
weeks before arriving at post. Daily doxycycline is an 
alternative regimen. Doxycycline must be started three 
days before arriving at post. Both malaria prophylaxis 
medications must be continued for four weeks after 
departing post. 
 
¶6. Security and Required Briefing:  TDY visitors 
spending more than 48 hours in Mozambique must obtain a 
security briefing from the Embassy's Regional Security 
Office.  The biggest threat facing U.S. citizens 
visiting Mozambique is crime.  The State Department has 
designated Mozambique a critical-threat post for crime. 
Street crime and vehicle hijackings are common and can 
be violent.  Visitors must be vigilant when out in 
public areas and should not display jewellery or other 
items of high value.  Visitors should avoid carrying 
backpacks or purses, as these can draw unwanted 
attention of would-be muggers.  Isolated areas, such as 
along the Marginal (the Maputo road along the sea), 
should be avoided as joggers and pedestrians have been 
mugged frequently, even during daylight hours. 
 
¶7. There are no known terrorist groups active in 
Mozambique and no current indications that U.S. 
citizens are being targeted by terrorist organizations. 
 
¶8. The police are poorly paid, poorly equipped, and 
lack the professionalism that U.S. citizens are 
accustomed to in the United States.  Visitors requiring 
emergency assistance should not rely on local emergency 
services, but should contact the Marine Security Guard 
at Post One at (21) 49-27-97.  Mozambican law requires 
that all persons carry an identity document, such as a 
passport, when out in public and produce it if 
requested by police.  A copy of passport identity and 
visa pages is acceptable.  There are certain areas in 
the city of Maputo where pedestrian traffic is 
prohibited, e.g., in front of the presidential offices 
located north of the Hotel Polana on the seaside of 
Avenida Julius Nyerere and on the Monument to 
Mozambican Heroes near the Maputo airport.  Such areas 
are sometimes marked with international "no 
trespassing" signs/symbols. 
 
¶9. Overland travel after dark is extremely dangerous 
due to poor road conditions, lack of emergency 
services, and the increased potential for vehicle 
 
hijackings.  Official Americans serving in Mozambique, 
including those on TDY, are prohibited from overland 
travel outside city limits during the hours of 
darkness. 
 
¶10. Consular Registration:  All TDY visitors spending 
more than two workdays in Maputo are required to 
register with the Consular Section in the Chancery to 
ensure that the Mission has current emergency contact 
information for each visitor. 
 
¶11. Financial Matters:  With the exception of the main 
hotels, Mozambique is essentially a cash economy. 
Credit cards are of limited utility. Vendors will 
accept U.S. dollars (or at times South African rand) in 
lieu of the local currency, the metical.  For a day 
trip to Maputo, we recommend visitors bring with them 
USD 100 in cash for spending money.  Dollars can be 
exchanged at any bank or currency exchange facility. 
Embassy Maputo recommends against the use of travelers 
checks, as transaction charges are uniformly high. 
Please note that Embassy Maputo will need fiscal data 
in the event that extensive services or goods are 
required during the visit.  Mozambican Airlines (LAM) 
accepts the American Express credit card.  Please note 
that charge limits are in effect on most credit card 
transactions, and hotel bills need to be settled every 
few days. 
 
¶12. New Currency:  On July 1, 2006, Mozambique 
introduced its new currency: the New Metical 
(abbreviated MTn.)  This currency replaces the 
Metical(MT). One New Metical is equivalent to 1,000 
Meticais (1 MTn = 1,000 MT.)   At current exchange 
rates, 1 USD equals approximately 26 MTn and 26,000 MT. 
From July 1st, 2006 through December 31st, 2006, both 
currencies are in circulation, and all prices are 
expressed in both currencies.  After December 31st, 
2006, only the New Metical will be in circulation.  The 
most obvious differences between the two currencies are 
that the New Metical notes have three fewer zeroes than 
Metical notes of the same value and that the New 
Metical notes are in much better condition than Metical 
notes.  The largest New Metical note is 1,000 MTn 
(versus 500,000 MT.) The smallest New Metical note is 
20 MTn (versus 10,000 MT.)  For further guidance, 
please refer to the images of the New Metical on our 
intranet site at 
http://maputo.state.gov/Sections/FMO/fmo.htm 
 
¶13. Visas and Airport Departure Taxes:  Visas are 
required for entry into Mozambique, and Embassy Maputo 
urges travelers to have them prior to travelling. 
Travelers arriving from a country without a Mozambican 
embassy can get visas at the airport or land border 
entry points for 20 USD or 300 MTn.  Those arriving 
from a country with a Mozambican embassy can obtain 
visas at the airport or land border entry points for 25 
USD.  There is an airport departure tax payable only in 
cash, of 20 USD or equivalent in Metical or Rand for 
regional flights, 8 USD for domestic flights and 20 USD 
for intercontinental flights. 
 
¶14. Luggage Precautions:  Post urges travelers to keep 
in mind restrictions on carry-on luggage on 
international flights.  At present, there are 
restrictions on carrying liquids, gels, and cosmetics 
on board international flights leaving the United 
States. 
 
¶15. Travelers also should bear in mind that security of 
checked baggage is a significant problem for travelers 
who transit Johannesburg airport. Many items have been 
stolen from checked bags, including the checked bags 
themselves. The items stolen most often are electronics 
(including I-Pods, cameras, and alarm clocks), 
toiletries (such as cosmetics, soap, shaving kits and 
cologne) and shoes (especially running/athletic 
shoes).  A LOCKED BAG DOES NOT ENSURE SECURITY.  One 
security measure that seems to meet with some success 
is to have your luggage stretch-wrapped at your point 
of departure.  The stretch-wrapping makes it more 
difficult for the thieves to gain access to your 
luggage.  Be aware that flights between Johannesburg 
and Maputo are often serviced by a small plane with 
little space for carry-on luggage.  This may require 
passengers to check their larger carry-on items. Please 
ensure your valuables are kept in a bag small enough to 
carry on your lap to keep them with you at all 
times. We take this problem very seriously and are 
doing what we can to help aid a solution. In brief, 
please: 
 
-- Leave behind irreplaceable valuables; 
-- Always lock your bags; 
-- Have your luggage stretch-wrapped when possible; 
-- Keep your valuables with you in a small carry-on; 
-- Make sure that your carry-on luggage complies with 
current international restrictions/regulations. 
 
DUDLEY