Africa-Press – Mozambique. Mozambique’s President, Filipe Nyusi, said on Monday at a United Nations (UN) event – The SDG Moment – that the country wants to be free of poverty, discrimination, terrorism and negative impacts of Covid-19, as well as being resilient to climate change.
The Mozambican president was one of the participants of the group of African heads of states in the virtual event convened by UN secretary-general António Guterres on sustainable development goals (SDGs).
The impact of Covid-19 “is visible” in Mozambique, beyond the daily numbers of infection and deaths, also by the “slowdown of the economy,” the President said, adding that the Government has taken restrictive and mitigation measures, in addition to the national preparedness and response plan.
Among the measures, the head of state cited the temporary exemption from VAT on essential products, reduced energy and water costs for social tariff products, relaxation of conditions for credit restructuring and extending the beneficiaries of social protection programmes.
According to the most recent data from the authorities, Mozambique counts 1,903 deaths associated with Covid-19 and 150,067 infected people accumulated since the beginning of the pandemic.
Despite challenges, uncertainties and limited financial resources, the Mozambican President reiterated the “unequivocal commitment to fully implement the sustainable development goals” and invited all to work together towards a quality future.
The Mozambican Head of State highlighted 17 areas and SDGs in which the country has committed to a systematic evaluation, improvements that he wants to see implemented by 2030, among which in education, drinking water, eradication of hunger and decent work.
In the sense of eradicating hunger (SDG 2 of Agenda 2030), Nyusi highlighted the capacity building programme for small farmers “Sustenta”, while for the health and well-being of the public (SDG 3), he said that the national health network has become more comprehensive through the project “One District, One Hospital”.
In terms of education, the President welcomed an increase of children attending school and the increased use of information and communication technologies.
Filipe Nyusi also spoke of the expansion of drinking water supply to communities, under the national programme “Water for Life”, and of the promotion of investments, stimulus to entrepreneurship and development of activities for more employment.
At the opening of this event, entitled “SDG Moment”, the UN Secretary-General stressed the importance of unity and cooperation for global recovery after the pandemic.
António Guterres called for more investment “in systems that support human development – from education and universal social protection to healthcare and jobs” and stressed that governments must put the public “first” in budgets and recovery plans.
