Maputo — The Mozambican armed forces (FADM) are to receive a million condoms a year, as part of the drive to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The condoms are a new brand named "Manobra" (Manoeuvre), launched in Maputo on Wednesday.

At the ceremony the representative in Mozambique of the US-based social marketing organisation, Population Services International (PSI), Arild Drivdal, said that the condoms will be distributed free of charge in all barracks, to encourage soldiers to use them in occasional sexual relations to prevent the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

"We expect to distribute condoms in the amounts necessary, but in principle the target is to distribute a million condoms a year just for the armed forces", he said. The FADM has less than 20,000 members - so this works out at more than 50 condoms per soldier per year.

The new brand is part of the "Jeito" group of condoms, launched by PSI in Mozambique in 1990s. It looks different from other condoms in that the packaging is designed to resemble a camouflage uniform.

The Commander of the Mozambican Air Force, Maj-Gen Raul Dick, told the ceremony that the "Manobra" condom "is another weapon to strengthen the fight against HIV/AIDS".

"We expect it to have a positive impact, because the soldiers will accept our appeal and begin to use this condom", said Dick, though he also added that Mozambicans should adopt norms of sexual behaviour "based on dignity and faithfulness to one's sexual partner".