The Hidden Debt Scandal in Mozambique: Analysing the Impact of Elite Corruption on Human Security

Abstract

This thesis aims to investigate the detrimental effects of elite corruption on the level of human security experienced by a state's citizens, employing the 2016 Hidden Debt Scandal in Mozambique as a case study. The Hidden Debt Scandal involved the misappropriation and concealment of $2 billion in unapproved loans secured against the state's assets, obtained by an elite group of politicians and businessmen. By analysing various indices and data sources from the period spanning 2012 to 2022, the research evaluates the impact of the debt scandal on different aspects of human security as described in the 1994 Human Development Report by the United Nations Development Programme. These aspects include the economic, political, food, health, environmental, personal, and community pillars of human security, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of potential threats and consequences. The findings indicate a worsening trend in a many of the indices following the Hidden Debt Scandal, however, some data does not align with that expected outcome. Additionally, the study acknowledges the influence of other economic, political, social, and environmental factors that may have contributed to human insecurity in Mozambique during the specified timeframe. Consequently, it is argued that while the Hidden Debt...