Maputo — The Mozambican government has approved the Reconstruction Plan for the northern province of Cabo Delgado, which envisages the restoration of social and economic infrastructures wrecked during the incursions by ISIS terrorists.
Addressing a media briefing on Tuesday in Maputo, at the end of the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers (Cabinet), the government spokesperson, Deputy Justice Minister Filimao Suaze said the necessary budget for the plan, to be carried out between 2021 and 2024, will be announced officially over the next few days and also its implementation mechanisms.
“I will not give any specific figures about the budget. There will be an official ceremony where accurate numbers and details about the plan will be announced,” Suaze said, pointing out that, as with its other plans, the government will adopt a joint approach, consisting of its own financial resources and those provided by its cooperation partners.
The approach for Cabo Delgado province will not be different from that adopted for the post-cyclone reconstruction plan adopted in the wake of cyclones Idai and Kenneth which hit central and northern Mozambique in March and April 2019.
“It will not be different for Cabo Delgado. Currently, there are concrete actions underway on the ground, funded by the government, which include the gradual restoration of the electricity supply, and the repair of certain important roads,” said Suaze.
He declared that the total costs of the attacks launched by ISIS terrorist groups in Cabo Delgado, since October 2017, will absorb many millions of dollars.
Recently, he said, the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Max Tonela, indicated that about 11 million US dollars would be necessary to carry out the initial phase of the rehabilitation of the power grid in the districts affected by terror attacks.
Currently, the financial costs of the activities under way are covered by funds disbursed by the publicly owned Electricity Company, EDM, and the World Bank.