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Mozambique: Municipality given full powers to manage Maputo coastal area – report
3:14 CAT | 12 Nov 2020
Photo: Conselho Municipal de Maputo
The management of Maputo’s coastal zone has been assigned to the municipal council, with the preservation of mangroves, marine life and the maintenance of beaches just some of the challenges posed by the Ministry of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries.
The city and the Ministry of the Sea, Interior Waters and Fisheries signed a protocol governing the operationalisation of the task on Wednesday, emphasising above all the preservation of the mangoes, currently visibly disappearing in Maputo, in particular.
The mangroves, considered vital for the ecosystem, are being indiscriminately uprooted to make way for buildings which in turn cause further problems, including the obstruction of waterways – a scenario which worsens with each rainy season.
“The concession of space in the coastal zone for the construction and installation of infrastructure must strictly observe the measures for the preservation of ecosystems, with emphasis on the protection of mangroves,” Minister of the Sea, Interior Waters and Fisheries Augusta Maíta urged.
In addition to acting on the preservation of mangroves, it will be up to the Maputo City Council to make the beaches pleasant, with coastal areas free from economic activities which harm the ecosystem and marine species.
“It is urgent that we pay attention to the way we take care of the leisure spaces mentioned by the President of the Municipal Council,” Maíta said, advocating actions that contribute to “a sustainable and environmentally friendly shoreline”.
In light of being granted full powers in the management of the coast, Maputo municipality has prepared a document guiding its actions, which will be submitted to the Municipal Assembly later this week.
“We are being invested with general powers to organise our coastal zone so as to have clean, well-structured beaches which are pleasant spaces for families,” Mayor of Maputo Eneas Comiche said.
Mayor Comiche admitted that pioneering the implementation of this type of initiative was an added responsibility, commenting: “If before, we had the desire to do the job, starting today we have to do everything to ensure that this is done to the highest standards and within expectations.”
In addition to Maputo, the initiative could in the future cover other municipalities in the country, with the Ministry of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries responsible for overseeing implementation.
By Dario Cossa
Source: O País
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