Cabo Delgado: 43 SMEs benefit from loans

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Cabo Delgado: 43 SMEs benefit from loans

11:29 CAT | 01 Feb 2022

Photo: IPEME

In an official ceremony in Pemba on Friday, the Mozambican government delivered support to 43 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) affected by the insurgency in the north and centre of the country.

Mamudo Ana is dedicated to sourcing and selling essential food products, activities that will get a boost thanks to a 350,000 meticais (€4,900.00) loan to be re-paid over three years at 10%.

“It’s a step towards restarting life” after being forced to abandon Quissanga, his homeland, Mamudo Ana told reporters.

This time Mamudo Ana will settle in Metuge, on the other side of Pemba Bay.

Marta Sozinho, 25, is another beneficiary who fled Quissanga. She has now received 920,000 meticais (€12,900.00) to invest in processing corn and husking rice.

She will stay in Pemba’s Chuiba neighbourhood while she waits for security in Quissanga to improve.

“My dream is to develop and employ other unemployed youth,” she says.

The launch of the Private Sector Relaunch Program, in the context of the reconstruction of Cabo Delgado, focused on selecting well-structured projects, said Carlos Mesquita, Minister of Industry and Commerce.

“The selection of projects continues. Some were sent back for improvements, and the selection includes the Northern Integrated Development Agency and local structures, including the government,” he added.

Carlos Mesquita also announced that there are already funds for the certification of SMEs, in order to guarantee the provision of quality services, predicting that Cabo Delgado will have 20 companies certified by April.

Cabo Delgado province, in the north of the country, is rich in natural gas, but has been terrorized for four years by armed rebels, with some attacks claimed by the Islamic State extremist group.

The conflict has already cost more than 3,100 lives, according to the ACLED conflict registration project, and displaced more than 817,000 civilians, according to the Mozambican authorities.

Since July 2021, an offensive by government troops, with the support of Rwanda, later joined by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), has recovered several areas, including the town of Mocímboa da Praia, occupied by the insurgents since August, 2020.

Source: Lusa