Africa-Press – Mozambique. The World Bank has pledged to disburse 100 million US dollars for the Cabo Delgado Reconstruction Plan (PRCD).
To cover all components, the plan requires about 300 million dollars, which would cover activities such as humanitarian assistance, the restoration of destroyed infrastructures as well as the resumption of financial and economic actions.
The World Bank’s country director, Idah Pswarayi-Riddihough, announced the commitment on Monday in Maputo, at the PRCD monitoring and assessment meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario.
Speaking to reporters, Pswarayi-Riddihough said the World Bank funding, likely to be disbursed by January 2022, will focus mostly on the northern districts of Cabo Delgado, in the areas which have already been freed from terrorists to ensure access to basic services which will allow the safe return of the internally displaced people (IDPs).
“Activities such as infrastructure reconstruction, schools and health centres, psycho-social support especially for young people, access to water and sanitation, power, and ensuring livelihood means through the distribution of agricultural tools are among the areas to be covered by this sum”, she said.
By April 2021, the World Bank had disbursed an earlier 100 million dollars of funding, channeled through the government’s Development Agency for the North (ADIN), to support several activities which included the reintegration of IDPs.
The British High Commissioner, NneNne Iwuji-Eme, said that from Wednesday cooperation partners and the government will hold further meetings to assess the details of the plan, in order to ensure concrete mechanisms to achieve the desired quick wins.
However, she stressed the issue of humanitarian response and infrastructure restoration already under way, in a bid to ensure a rapid and safe return of the IDPs, estimated at over 800,000 people.
The deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Ludovina Bernardo, stated that the amount will enable the government to cover immediate impact activities, scheduled to end in December, to ensure a safe return of the displaced communities.
She highlighted that immediate actions are budgeted at 190 million dollars and the World Bank financial support will definitely ensure the coverage of a substantial part of these actions. But more funds will be necessary to cover full reconstruction.
Throughout the year, she said, several activities have been attained. They include reopening of roads, wells, some health centres, and electricity supply. Resettlement centres were set up in 11 districts.
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