Date: 11 December 2007 MCLI takes pleasure in forwarding to you ...

The eldest son of former Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano has died while underinvestigation for possible involvement in the 2000 murder of a journalist, state radioreported on Monday. The Mozambican businessman, Nyimpine Chissano, died in theearly hours of Monday, victim of a stroke (or cerebrovascular accident (CVA)).Mozambican authorities have been investigating Chissano's son since his name surfacedin connection with the gangland shooting of Carlos Cardoso, who was the Africannation's best-known investigative journalist.Two people tried in 2003 for the murder accused Nympine Chissano of orderingCardoso's assassination. He denied involvement. (the Investor,www.clubofmozambique.com)Doing Business Reformers’ Club honors five African countries for making businesseasierThe top Doing Business Reformers’ Club honors in sub-Saharan Africa went to fivecountries that implemented three or more reforms in the past year, making it easier forentrepreneurs and businesses to operate and contribute to economic development.The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank awarded Ghana,Kenya, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, and Mauritius top honors.One of the reforms that Mozambique was recognized is the replacement of legislationdating from 1888 with a new commercial code that introduces stricter corporategovernance rules and strengthens the rights of minority shareholders. The new code alsomodernizes the business registration process, cutting provisional registration and makingnotaries optional. Start-up time for new firms fell by almost 3 months. Specialized judgesfor commercial cases should improve court efficiency. (the Investor,www.clubofmozambique.com)Government reviews HIV/AIDS strategyThe Mozambican government has decided to review its strategy for preventing the spreadof HIV/AIDS after finding that the current plans are not effective.Health Minister Ivo Garrido, speaking in his capacity as spokesperson of the SteeringCouncil of the National AIDS Council (CNCS), declared that the current strategies arenot yielding the desired results. As for when the new strategy will be presented, Garridosaid that, although the Steering Council does not take decisions, “It is our wish that, atleast by early next year proposals on coordination will exist”.Garrido said that a new report on HIV prevalence in the country is due within the nextfew weeks. The figures currently in use are somewhat out of date, since they are drawnfrom the epidemiological surveillance round of 2004, which estimated the HIVprevalence rate at 16.2 per cent among adults aged between 15 and 49. (aim)GOVERNMENTGovernment receives praise for improved tax collectionThe International Monetary Fund (IMF) last Monday praised Mozambique for its"continued robust economic growth" in 2007 so far, with "good prospects" for the rest ofthe year. The Assistant Director of the IMF's African Department, Jean Clement, hadparticular praise for the government's tax collection. Clement noted that by the end ofSeptember the government found itself in a much better fiscal position than expected.More taxes, both direct and indirect, than programmed had been collected. (Indeed, thegovernment expects the extra revenue raised to reach 800 million meticais - 32 millionUS dollars - by the end of the year, which has allowed it to adjust the 2007 budgetaccordingly). "Tax administration has improved, notably in speeding up the registration