As statements of confidence go, the Mozambique central bank’s brand new headquarters, currently under construction on the Avenida de 25th Setembro in central Maputo, is a pretty obvious one. Set for completion in 2016, the high-rise, glass-encased structure will be one of the tallest in the neighbourhood, projecting a successful image and helping to spruce up the centre of the capital.
“It’s a bit like Caeser’s wife,” confides one senior ex-employee of the bank. “She has to stay beautiful to match public expectations.”