Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Mozambican government on Friday called for the strengthening of “multilateral solidarity cooperation” with the United Nations to overcome global humanitarian crises, calling for strategies and actions that enable the development of young people, girls and children.
“Looking back on these 80 years [UN] and 50 years [of independence] of cooperation, we clearly see the need to reaffirm solidarity-based multilateralism to address global challenges, climate crises and the movements that affect us,” said Mozambique’s Minister of Education and Culture, Samaria Tovela, during the opening of the United Nations Day ceremonies in Maputo.
Among these concerns, she listed terrorism and social equality, which, she said, require “collective, supportive action and, above all, a strategy that allows for development with a focus on young people.”
According to the minister, young people “are the ones who will effectively drive the development of nations,” arguing that cooperation between Mozambique and the United Nations (UN) should be based on young people, girls and children, especially in the education sector, in order to achieve the Government’s 2030 agenda.
“Above all, we want to look at increasing efficiency, at the level of the United Nations, in the performance of the different positions in our country, our region and the world, look at internal efficiency, look at reviewing or updating the existing mandates and, above all, addressing the challenges facing our population, our people and the world in general,” added Samaria Tovela, also expressing the country’s interest in cooperating “side by side” with different partners, with a view to the continuous development of nations.
On Thursday, the United Nations recognised the progress made by Mozambique since independence in areas such as education, gender equality and response to climate shocks, reiterating its commitment to supporting the country’s development agenda.
“The changes that have taken place [since independence] are that more children are going to school, gender equality has improved, the way Mozambique responds to climate shocks is also seen as good practice in the region, and many more,” said Catherine Sozi, UN resident leader in Mozambique.
The UN official explained that, despite the gains made, challenges still prevail in Mozambique: “Many people do not go to school, becoming illiterate, we have challenges in the health system, where mothers are unable to have their children safely. We have child marriages, young people without jobs, a conflict in the north, where many people are fleeing because of the crisis, but also climate shocks mean that people’s homes, shops and businesses are impacted. So, security has not yet been achieved.”
Sozi also assured that the UN is in Mozambique to “support the Government in the promises made to its population” and is now, according to the representative, drawing up a “development agenda”, supporting the construction and reconstruction of schools, hospitals and clinics and working with the authorities to create jobs.
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