Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Reconstruction Plan for Cabo Delgado, approved last week in the cabinet meeting by the Mozambican government, is budgeted at $300 million (€256 million), the prime minister said on Monday.
“The total budget for this plan is around US$300 million, of which approximately $200 million [€170 million] is earmarked for the implementation of short-term projects,” Carlos Agostinho do Rosário said on Monday during a presentation to international partners, from who he expects support.
The short-term projects should be implemented within a year and include the reposition of public administration, health units, schools, energy, water supply, sanitation, telecommunications, access roads, civil identification, psychosocial support and self-employment, particularly for young people, among others.
The Mozambican prime minister noted that the work of rebuilding infrastructure and the human fabric is immense and it is necessary to continue to strengthen synergies between the government, cooperation partners, the private sector and other stakeholders to act more quickly.
“We expect that, based on this document, the partners can identify the areas of intervention and indicate how they can join the government’s efforts in mobilising resources for the implementation of this plan,” he said.
He said that some measures are already underway, such as assistance in food and other goods, including shelter kits for the population of the districts of Quissanga, Nangade, Macomia, Palma and Mocímboa da Praia.
There is also a gradual resumption of the payment of the basic social subsidy in the districts of Nangade, Mueda, Quissanga, Ibo and Macomia.
The re-establishment of electricity in Awasse, Mueda, Nangade and Mocímboa da Praia, the gradual re-establishment of mobile communications and the rehabilitation of roads were some examples given by the prime minister.
The prime minister noted that the plan is the single document for the emergency reconstruction of the northern districts of Cabo Delgado and does not replace other development plans of the northern provinces.
Cabo Delgado province is rich in natural gas but has been terrorised since 2017 by armed rebels, with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State.
The conflict has led to more than 3,100 deaths, according to the ACLED conflict registration project, and more than 817,000 displaced people, according to Mozambican authorities.
Since July, an offensive by government troops with support from Rwanda which was later joined by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) allowed for increased security, recovering several areas where there was rebel presence, including the town of Mocímboa da Praia, which had been occupied since August 2020.
