Poorly designed youth employment programmes will boost the insurgency in Mozambique

Abstract

A jihadist group referred to as Al-Shabab has waged a war against the Mozambican state and its allies since 2017, with devastating consequences for the civilian population. The insurgents mostly recruit among local youth, and have been able to capitalise on young people’s frustration with the political and economic system – being seen as feeding the clientelist machine of the state and party elite and therefore will end up being counterproductive in countering the insurgency.