Italy pledges support for Mozambique’s decentralization

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Italy pledges support for Mozambique’s decentralization

12:05 CAT | 24 Feb 2017

The Italian government has expressed readiness to support Mozambique in political and administrative decentralization, as a process vital to the maintenance of peace in the country.

Speaking to journalists after a meeting with Mozambican Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosário, the Italian ambassador to Mozambique, Marco Contecelli, noted that his country was currently hosting a visit by Assembly of the Republic of Mozambique MPs for an exchange of experiences on decentralization in Italy.

“At the moment, there is a delegation of MPs from the Mozambican parliament visiting Italy to exchange experiences on the subject of decentralization,” Contecelli said.

The commitment to decentralization, the diplomat continued, was an important step towards the promotion and maintenance of peace in Mozambique.

“This is a fundamental aspect of the peace process and we want to confirm our willingness to support it,” the Italian ambassador to Maputo said.

Decentralization is one of the main points of the negotiations between the Mozambican Government and the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), the main opposition party.

Renamo’s demand to create autonomous provinces in regions where it claims victory in the general elections of 2014 was one of the causes of the military conflict that affected the country recently and was brought to a close by the truces declared by the two parties at the end of last year.

In addition to supporting the decentralization process, the Italian ambassador expressed his country’s willingness to step up cooperation with Mozambique in economic, trade and development aid.

“Italy is one of the main investors in Mozambique. We are committed in the economic sphere, not only in gas and energy, but also in agriculture, tourism and infrastructures. On these issues, we want to consolidate our commitment,” Ambassador Conticelli added.

Italian ENI leads a consortium that will produce natural gas in one of the largest concessions in Mozambique, in the Rovuma basin in the north of the country.

Source: Lusa