361122E – CABO DELGADO/ GOVERNOR CALLS FOR REOPENING OF MOCÍMBOA DA PRAIA PORT
Maputo, 11 Nov (AIM) – The governor of the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, Valige Tauabo, has called for the urgent reopening of the port of Mocímboa da Praia, in order to facilitate the supply of various products to the population.
The port was destroyed during the terrorist attacks against the town between 2020 and 2022, which also forced most of the inhabitants to abandon the town.
According to the governor, cited in Friday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Notícias”, the reopening of the port, besides facilitating life in the district of Mocimboa da Praia, will also benefit food supplies for the neighbouring districts of Palma, Nangade, Mueda and Muidumbe.
“Recently, there have been clear signs of improved security, especially in the districts of the northern region of Cabo Delgado, due to the actions of the Defence and Security Forces”, Tauabo said, calling on the Ports and Railway Company (CFM) to speed up rehabilitation of the port.
The governor also said that the restoration of security in the province should be an opportunity to revive the economy, deeply affected by the action of terrorists.
“We call on the local business community and others to be bolder in their investments, in order to put Cabo Delgado back on the road to development”, Tauabo said, adding that besides the port, the town of Mocímboa da Praia also has an airport with capacity to receive national and international flights, but it too was severely damaged during the terrorist attacks.
Since July 2021, the Rwandan Defence Forces and the Southern African Development Community Military Mission (SAMIM) have been working with Mozambican Defence and Security Forces in the fight against terrorism.
The province of Cabo Delgado is rich in natural gas, but has been plagued by terrorist attacks since 2017 perpetrated by armed groups causing the death of over 3,000 people.
In its last report on Mozambique the United Nations Refugee Agency says that nearly a million people have fled their homes over the last five years in Cabo Delgado as a result of the violence.
(AIM)
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