Mozambique's government has launched its first electronic auction of assets forfeited to the state, placing 14 vehicles up for bidding in an initiative designed to strengthen transparency and efficiency in the recovery and management of crime-linked assets.

The announcement was made on Friday, 6 November, in Maputo by the Minister of Finance, Carla Loveira, at the launch seminar of the digital platform of the Asset Management Office (Gabinete de Gestão de Activos, GGA), according to a report by the news agency Lusa.

"Today we take a step in building a modern, accessible asset management model aligned with international best practices," Loveira said, arguing that the initiative represents more than the introduction of a new technological tool and reflects the government's commitment to transparency, integrity, and efficiency in the administration of public resources.

According to Loveira, the platform will broaden the publicity of auctions, facilitate participation by citizens and companies, and promote greater competition among prospective buyers.

"With this tool, a citizen or a company located anywhere in the national territory will be able to participate in auction procedures, subject to applicable requirements, without the need for physical travel," she explained.

Speaking to journalists, the minister said the first auction covers 14 seized vehicles, with opening bids set at 70 per cent of their assessed patrimonial value.

"The minimum bid is 30 per cent below the assessed value of the asset," she clarified.

Loveira explained that revenues from the sale of assets flow into the State Budget and into mechanisms defined under asset management legislation, with recovered resources directed towards public purposes.

On the origin of the assets, Loveira said authorities have chosen not to disclose the specific crimes to which they are linked. She nonetheless assured that the assets remain properly registered and catalogued in order to safeguard any future judicial decisions favourable to defendants.

Government bets on asset recovery

The minister argued that corruption, money laundering, and organised crime continue to pose challenges to the country's economic and social development, and that combating these phenomena must include not only the prosecution of those responsible but also the seizure, recovery, and proper management of assets derived from illicit activities.

"It is fundamental to send an unequivocal message: crime must not pay, and the economic benefits derived from criminal activity cannot continue to serve those who violate the law," she said.

Loveira also highlighted legislative advances recorded in recent years, particularly the approval of the law establishing the extended asset forfeiture regime and the mechanisms for asset recovery and management, as well as the decree regulating the administration of seized assets.

The newly launched platform forms part of a set of digital solutions designed to improve the management of assets recovered by the state. Tools envisaged include a patrimonial management module, a business intelligence tool, and a public monitoring portal.

At the seminar, António de Vivo, representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Mozambique, described the launch as an "institutional milestone", highlighting the results of technical cooperation between the organisation and Mozambican authorities that began in 2021.

"Look how far you have come," he said, invoking a popular expression to mark the evolution of the Asset Management Office since its creation in December 2020.

De Vivo said the strengthening of the institution had made it possible to develop mechanisms for the professional administration of assets seized in the context of the fight against crime, transforming them into benefits for the state and for citizens.