Maputo, 2 Sep (AIM) – The French oil and gas company, Total Energies, and the Northern Integrated Development Agency (ADIN) on Monday signed an agreement aimed at boosting socio-economic development initiatives in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, especially in the districts of Palma and Mocímboa da Praia.
Total Energies heads the Mozambique LNG Project, located on the Afungi peninsula, in Palma district. The project, which is budgeted at about 20 billion dollars, was forced to halt operations in 2021 following a major terrorist attack against Palma town. However, now the company is preparing resumption of the project, as the security conditions have improved.
The newagreement – which was signed by Total Energies CEO, Maxime Rabiloud, and ADIN chairperson, Jacinto Loureiro – is aimed at generating jobs and boosting income in sectors such as agriculture, fishing, education, health, biodiversity, and local commerce. Project implementation is budged at 10 million US dollars.
According to Rabiloud, speaking during the ceremony, this agreement will benefit the local residents of Cabo Delgado, at a time when the commercial exploration of natural gas has not yet begun commercial exploration. According to Rabiloud, “although the gas operations have not started, the Mozambique LNG project has already created over 8,000 jobs in Palma and Mocímboa da Praia.”
“We continue to believe in the future of gas in Mozambique, but we also believe that its impact should be felt now, and not only when production begins. This new agreement represents joint work with the government, aligned with its public policies. The local communities should benefit from the opportunities created even before exploration begins”, he said.
Rabiloud also said that part of the gas extracted under the Mozambique LNG project will be destined for the domestic market, contributing to the country’s economic development.
“The company’s objective is to ensure that Mozambique’s gas directly benefits Mozambicans, and not just international markets. All this work on socio-economic development is aimed at enabling greater development of the country’s economy through gas, not only abroad, but also within Mozambique”, he said.
For his turn, the ADIN chairperson said that the agreement is extremely important because it will boost the local economy “and the well-being of the population.”
“In a few days, we want to visit the districts involved and see initiatives that will result in the implementation of this memorandum of understanding, so that families can change their lives, especially those affected by terrorism”, he said.
(AIM)
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