The Austrian Development Agency (ADA), announced this Thursday a 4.7 million euro support for the rural communities most affected by the political-military conflict in central Mozambique.
The money will fund projects with "the objective of improving the livelihoods of the most affected rural communities in six districts," said Hubert Neuwirth, head of ADA, during the agreement signing ceremony in Beira city, capital of the central province of Sofala.
The initiative includes the Sofala Provincial Executive Council (CEPS) and the European Union (EU), whose confidence in the Austrian cooperation he thanked.
The activities will take place until the end of 2024 in the districts of Machanga, Chibabava, Gorongosa, Maringue, Chemba, and Cheringoma, all in the province of Sofala and stage, over the years, of episodes of conflict between government forces and the Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO).
Peace was established in an agreement signed in 2019, and the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process of the approximately 5,000 former guerrillas is currently underway.
"At the end of the program, in December 2024, I am confident that the program activities will have contributed to better livelihoods, greater food security and peace in the communities," Hubert Neuwirth stressed.
According to the source, the program will have a special focus on women, so that "they are not only beneficiaries, but also play a more prominent role in district planning and decision-making processes."
The governor of Sofala, Lourenço Bulha, said that in the first year the CEPS will implement rapid actions for the distribution of seeds and agricultural products, construction of greenhouses, small irrigation systems, tanks and solar-powered water supply systems, as well as education on best practices in sanitation and nutrition.
"The Sofala government will also facilitate community dialogue at the district level in order to identify and fund investments that can help communities be more resilient to climate change and promote the economic inclusion of women and the most vulnerable," he concluded.
Lusa Agency