For a more influential and globally connected Mozambique.
Who we are
Our mission is to strengthen Mozambique’s contribution to the global debate and to sustainable solutions to the world’s most pressing foreign affairs and international relations challenges.
We seek to achieve this by conducting high-quality, independent research and providing policymakers with insights to inform policy debates on pressing international relations issues.
In addition, provide a platform for key foreign policy stakeholders, including government institutions, the private sector, the media, civil society, cooperation partners, academia, civic and religious leaders, and others, to share ideas and to debate on international affairs and Mozambique’s engagement with the world.
Ultimately, we aim to raise broader domestic awareness of international politics and its impact on Mozambique and the region.
Why Fórum Externo Matters
We are living in an era of emerging multipolarity, where rivalry among the big powers shapes supply chains and technological disputes. At the same time, regional blocs such as the European Union and the BRICS Group are seeking greater prominence by pursuing new alliances, primarily in Africa. This atmosphere presents new challenges to the world, forcing renewed analysis of the future and shape of the international system. Mozambique and other developing countries must balance their national interests with opportunities in the international sphere. Forum Externo addresses this need by creating an independent platform that fosters informed dialogue on Mozambican foreign policy and regional integration.
The global competition for strategic resources—such as natural gas, oil, water, and minerals critical to the energy transition—and security demands on international maritime transportation routes heighten Mozambique’s relevance in the global and regional strategic calculus. At the same time, regional conflicts, cyber threats, migration flows, and climate crises expose collective vulnerabilities and strain traditional mechanisms of global governance. Multilateral institutions are facing challenges to their legitimacy and funding, creating space for new alliances and emerging voices calling for reform of the international system, including political and economic governance, as well as a greater role for developing countries.
Transnational issues—climate change, regulation of artificial intelligence, and pandemics—require cooperative solutions but are hampered by the resurgence of nationalism and protectionism. For Mozambique, this scenario presents both risks and opportunities to strengthen its diplomacy and international influence in an increasingly complex system.
Finally, recent international developments raise serious questions about the sustainability of the rules-based world order built after the Second World War and about how to cement law and order and international cooperation in the event of its complete collapse. The development challenges facing developing countries, including Mozambique, are greatly exacerbated in a world where force rules over law and legitimacy, heightening the risk that national interests will be forcibly overruled rather than accommodated within a cooperative international framework seeking global solutions to global challenges.
Thematic Pillars
Fórum Externo organises its work around four interconnected thematic pillars that reflect emerging and most pressing foreign policy and diplomatic topics. These pillars ensure coherence across our activities and guide the development of research, dialogue, and capacity-building initiatives.
- Foreign Policy & Geopolitical Analysis (Core Pillar)
A more targeted approach to foreign policy looks beyond the international system and focuses on the domestic decision-making processes, key actors, and constraints that shape a country’s external behaviour. For developing countries, this understanding is essential for analysing how major powers influence their foreign policy choices and relationships.
Fórum Externo examines global and regional trends, strategic rivalries, and emerging alliances to support Mozambique’s positioning in an increasingly complex international system. Our policy research and analysis inform strategic thinking and long-term planning. The evolving nature of foreign policy, driven by globalisation and the proliferation of national and subnational actors, has fundamentally altered how it is made and implemented. It can include areas as multifaceted as trade, energy, security, climate, and public diplomacy.
- Economic Diplomacy & International Trade Policy (Core Pillar)
The international system is increasingly characterised by transactional diplomacy, marked by a shift away from traditional foreign aid toward investment-driven engagement and mutual economic benefit. In this environment, states must deploy the full range of diplomatic, financial, and institutional tools at their disposal to advance national economic interests and support sustainable development.
Against this backdrop, there is a growing need to strengthen the analysis, policy coherence, and capacity of Mozambican policymakers, diplomats, and economic actors to analyse economic diplomacy mechanisms, trade policies, and to engage constructively in global and regional economic cooperation.
Fórum Externo conducts research and analysis and convenes key stakeholders to analyse international trade policies and mechanisms, discuss current challenges facing developing countries, and advance economic cooperation. Through research and policy-oriented analysis, we promote strategies that align Mozambique’s economic interests with global market dynamics and regional integration frameworks.
- Regional Integration & Global South (Supporting Pillar)
Fórum Externo monitors developments within the United Nations (UN), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU), and other continental structures. Fórum Externo promotes more active participation by developing countries in multilateral processes and advocates for fairness, inclusion, and stronger African agency in global governance. This includes the role of developing countries in advancing their interests in climate discussions, peace and security, and international regimes, as well as promoting regionalism to foster cooperation among like-minded nations.
- International Cooperation & Development Partnerships (Supporting Pillar)
We analyse global development trends, assess the effectiveness of partnerships, and to inform constructive engagement between Mozambique and its international partners. Our work helps align national development goals with international cooperation mechanisms to increase coordination and exchange of best practices based on mutual interests. In addition, support countries achieve strategic autonomy while diversifying their strategies in an increasingly competitive international environment.