Il Mozambico contemporaneo: eredità storiche, conflitti emergenti e sfide democratiche

Abstract. This article analyses the historical and political trajectory of Mozambique through an interdisciplinary lens that brings together African history, colonial dynamics and contemporary political processes. The analysis begins with the prazos da coroa system and the role of the Chikunda militias in the Zambezi valley, elements that contributed to structuring forms of local power characterised by organised violence and territorial control. These historical legacies provide an interpretive key for understanding the persistent fragilities of the Mozambican state. The article further examines the post-independence phase, the civil war between FRELIMO (Frente de Libertação de Moçambique) and RENAMO (Resistência Nacional Moçambicana) and the subsequent institutional transformations, showing how territorial tensions, economic marginalisation and global geoeconomic interests have fuelled new forms of instability. Particular attention is devoted to the crisis in Cabo Delgado, which reveals the intersection of local conflicts, radicalisation and international competition over energy resources. Keywords: Mozambique; colonial legacies; incomplete democratisation; armed conflict; Cabo Delgado.