Mozambique: Nyusi demands control over exploitation of resources – Watch

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Mozambique: Nyusi demands control over exploitation of resources – Watch

7:27 CAT | 31 Aug 2020

Photo: Noticias

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Friday demanded that the authorities of the central province of Zambezia should strengthen their inspection and control over the exploitation of natural resources, to avoid illegalities and the consequent loss of foreign exchange that the country needs for its development.

Speaking in the provincial capital, Quelimane, during a two day working visit to Zambezia, Nyusi said the country is losing a great deal of money because of its inability to control its resources.

“We have to strengthen the inspection of our marine and river waters, our mineral resources and our flora and fauna”, he said.

Zambezia has been plagued with illegal logging and mining, as well as poaching.

Nyusi also recommended that the province work to promote industrial activity, to avoid the risk of depending solely on agriculture. “We have to diversify our economy”, he declared.

One of the riches of Zambezia is its coconut plantations – but the exploitation of copra and other coconut products has been hit disease, notably the lethal yellowing disease. Nyusi insisted that the province must look for solutions.

“With resort to research, you should look for ways to restore the coconut palm plantations”, he said. “The province cannot resign itself to the situation. We have to research, we cannot lose the coconut palm which is the flag of this province”.

The President also urged the provincial authorities to develop initiatives to promote tourism, which occupied a lowly position in the Zambezia economy even before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

Source: AIM