Maputo, 25 Mar (AIM) – The US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, Anne Witkowsky, has pledged additional US funding for programmes to assist Mozambique “with stabilization and peace-building efforts in northern provinces”.
Witkowsky visited Maputo and the northern city of Nampula from 17 to 21 March. According to a Monday press release from the US embassy, she “engaged a wide range of Mozambican partners about ongoing efforts to promote peace in conflict-affected communities”.
The ongoing US programmes, the release said, “are providing training for local government officials to deliver services, supporting community radio, promoting social cohesion through peace clubs, sports, and the arts, and increasing educational and employment opportunities for youth, including through construction of the new secondary school in Pemba city”.
“Mozambique’s progress toward sustainable peace is essential for the economic prosperity of all Mozambicans and for the security of the region,” said Assistant Secretary Witkowsky. “The United States is committed to supporting Mozambican partners to advance an integrated effort for peace and stability across Cabo Delgado and surrounding provinces – emphasizing civilian protection, access to justice, inclusive economic development, and transparent, democratic governance,”
The embassy noted that, in April 2022, President Joe Biden announced the selection of Mozambique as a priority country for the Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability.
It claimed that “with partners, the United States is marshaling diplomatic support, development assistance, and security-sector engagement to prevent violence, promote stability, and build resilience through locally led solutions in Cabo Delgado and neighboring provinces.
The release added that the US “intends to provide 22 million dollars in new funding in 2024, pending Congressional approval, to help Mozambique with stabilization efforts in northern regions. With this investment, the United States will have dedicated nearly $100 million in stability-focused assistance to northern Mozambique since 2022”.
(AIM)
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