Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi demanded rigor and transparency in the use of the 500 million dollars donated by the United States of America (USA) for the coastal connectivity and resilience project in the province of Zambezia, agreed this Thursday.
“This act, this celebration, is the result of growing trust between us. And we will never be able to betray the trust that we deserve today. Therefore, we must uphold noble values and respect for the sacrifices of taxpayers in both countries,” he said on Thursday. On Friday at the Capitol in Washington, Mozambique’s head of state attended the signing of the second funding agreement between the government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
“In order for these objectives to be achieved with the necessary efficiency and effectiveness in the cost-benefit equation, we expect that good governance mechanisms will be strictly implemented, which include criteria for transparency, accountability, independent audit, focused on financial and organizational structure. “, along with an on-site assessment of implemented programs, taking into account the timing and life cycle of the project,” he said.
This is the second MCC funding agreement with Mozambique, following another $506.9 million (€472.9 million) deal in 2013, which then focused on water supply and sanitation, land tenure, transport and agriculture.
This time, more than five years after the projects began, the Mozambique Coastal Connectivity and Resilience Pact is funded with $500 million (€465.7 million) through a donation from the North American government, in addition to the Mozambican government’s contribution of $37.5 million dollars. (35 million euros) will go towards improving transport networks in rural areas.
It will also promote commercial agriculture through policy and tax reforms and improve coastal livelihoods through climate resilience initiatives in the central province of Zambezia.
“In the context of this historic financing, we are committed to ensuring accountability and good governance for the common good, which should strengthen trust and positive dynamics in the relationship between Mozambique and the United States of America,” added Filipe Nyusi.
MCC is a US government-funded agency that provides period-based grants to developing countries, and in this agreement, as the head of state emphasized, “about 60% of the funds will be invested in the area of connectivity and rural transport.”
A top priority is the construction of a new bridge over the Likungo River and the Mocuba Bypass Road, the central point of Mozambique and a crossroads of transport communications in a country that has recently been hit hard by floods and cyclones. The new bridge will replace the current crossing, which is almost 80 years old, and will divert traffic from the town of Mokuba to the new location via a 16-kilometer bypass.
“This is exactly the center of our country (…) It is difficult for us to drive through this area, and the road passes through the center of the city,” the head of state emphasized in the same speech.
He added that this funding agreement includes “innovative solutions for friendly and sustainable agriculture” as well as “actions leading to the conservation of mangroves, which store 305 million tons of carbon dioxide, which represent an economic resource of enormous value along with more than two hundred species.”
“Although the second agreement is geographically focused on the province of Zambezia, it is still a national program,” said Filipe Nyusi.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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