Mozambique: Political situation is “stable”, says PM

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Mozambique: Political situation is “stable”, says PM

9:37 CAT | 21 Apr 2022

Photo: Domingo

Mozambican Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane on Wednesday assured the country’s parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, that the political situation in the country is stable.

At the opening of a question and answer session between the government and the deputies, Maleiane declared “State institutions are functioning normally and in general there is a peaceful environment which allows the free circulation of people and goods”.

But in some districts in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, “we are continuing to face challenges resulting from terrorist actions”.

Nonetheless, thanks to the Mozambican defence and security forces, in coordination with the forces from Rwanda and from SADC (Southern African Development Community), “there has been a gradual return of the population to their homes and the normalization of their lives, with the re-establishment of tranquility and public order and security”.

As for the Plan for the Reconstrution of Cabo Delgado, Maleiane said that various actions are under way which have allowed the restoration of basic public services and the rebuilding of infrastructures destroyed by the terrorists.

“We are sure that, with the consolidation of public order and tranquillity, together with the reconstruction actions under way, we shall ensure the resumption of economic activities, including the natural gas projects in the Rovuma Basin”, said Maleiane.

Mozambique, he added, began 2022 with signs of growth in demand and employment, and a generally favourable economic climate, thanks to the gradual lifting of the restrictive measures imposed to slow the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, the mass vaccination against the disease, and the increase in the world market prices for some key Mozambican exports, such as aluminium, coal and natural gas.

But the country had also been struck by a series of cyclones and other natural disasters, which had affected more than a million people. Maleiane put the death toll from these disasters at 142. A further 376 people had been injured, and more than 220,000 hectares of crops had been lost. There had been extensive damage to 6,300 kilometres of roads and other infrastructure.

In addition to the effects of extreme climatic events, said Maleiane, Mozambique is also feeling the impact of increased international grain and fuel prices, which have worsened since the outbreak of the Russian war against Ukraine.

“The rise in prices on the international market is affecting all countries particularly those which, like Mozambique, import petroleum and grain”, he added. “This conjunctural situation of international price rises challenges us to join efforts between the government, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders so as to find viable solutions to mitigate the negative effects on our economy”.

Source: AIM