The President of the Republic, Filipe Nyusi, said on Monday that the reopening of the port and airfield of Mocímboa da Praia, affected during the terrorist attacks, represents the "progressive re-establishment of normality" in Cabo Delgado.

Nyusi, who was speaking yesterday during the inauguration of the rehabilitation works at the port of Mocímboa da Praia, said that "this is an unmistakable sign of the progressive restoration of normality and, in this case, with a boost to the mobility of people and goods that favors economic activity in various sectors".

"Today represents a milestone that symbolizes the consolidation, first of national unity, our unshakeable will to defend our sovereignty, our historical and cultural values, our identity, considering the fact that Mozambique is a unitary and indivisible state," said Filipe Nyusi, quoted by Lusa.

The Mozambican head of state added that "it is not through the use of lethal weapons, the beheading of defenceless children, women, young people and the elderly or the destruction of socio-economic infrastructures that any group of people will impose doctrines that are alien to our social conscience". "The conscience and will of Mozambicans were forged and rooted in deep values of peaceful coexistence between us, without distinction of ethnicity or religious beliefs," he stressed.

The infrastructures of the airfield and the port of Mocímboa da Praia were destroyed on the night of August 4, 2020, by the armed groups that have been carrying out attacks in Cabo Delgado since 2017.

To this end, the rehabilitation of these infrastructures began after the stabilization of the security situation, with the arrival of foreign forces in July 2021, namely from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

At the port of Mocímboa da Praia, at least 7 million dollars have been invested in the new mooring quay and the completion of the canal signaling system, but the rehabilitation, which will continue, has a total budget of 30 million dollars, while the rehabilitation of the airfield is budgeted at around 15 million meticais.