Today, at the Official Residence of Japan in Mozambique, the Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Mozambique signed the agreement for the Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project for Stabilization in Cabo Delgado Province, budgeted at 1,328,000,000 yen (around 10 million dollars).

The agreement was signed by Hajime Kimura, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Mozambique, and Antonio Molpeceres, Acting Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Mozambique.

With this contribution from the Government of Japan, the project aims to re-establish the government's presence, restore basic services and livelihoods and contribute to the protection and resumption of economic development investments by the public and private sectors in Cabo Delgado Province.

It is estimated that the project will reach a total of 405,000 beneficiaries, half of whom will be women in the target districts.

Part of the Government of Mozambique's Cabo Delgado Reconstruction Plan (PRCD) and the UNDP's Cabo Delgado Province Stabilization and Immediate Recovery Programme, the project will be implemented by April 2024 in the districts of Palma, Mocímboa da Praia, Macomia, Quissanga, Meluco, Ancuabe, Muidumbe and Nangade districts and the city of Pemba, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), the Northern Integrated Development Agency (ADIN), the Provincial Government of Cabo Delgado and the district administrations.

During the ceremony to sign the agreement, Japan's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mozambique, Kimura Hajime, said that "the government of Japan has decided to give more support to the people of Cabo Delgado. The population has been suffering due to terrorism since 2017 and Japan has been supporting the Mozambican government to improve the situation.

Thanks to many efforts by the Mozambican government and the international community, the situation has been improving. "We think we should take this opportunity to step up our efforts. Many of the internally displaced people are beginning to return to the places where they used to live, and government infrastructure is desperately needed on a daily basis. Thanks to UNDP's strong support, we can contribute to rehabilitating the necessary infrastructure. Through this project, we sincerely hope for a better future for Mozambique and we will continue to support the people of this country."

The Acting Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Mozambique, Antonio Molpeceres, stressed the importance of rebuilding basic infrastructure in the districts to guarantee access to basic services for the affected communities. For him, "with the leadership of the government, the participation of the affected communities and the support of development partners, we will have a positive and sustainable impact on the lives of Mozambicans in the province".

The Coordinator of the Northern Integrated Development Agency (ADIN), Haggai Mário, a high-level government representative on the occasion, explained that "the project will, among other things, help to rebuild public buildings such as schools and hospitals, as well as water supply systems. The issue of social infrastructure is very crucial and this program is in line with the Cabo Delgado Reconstruction Plan, designed and approved by our government".

 The project's areas of intervention have been agreed with the Government of Mozambique and are an integral part of the UNDP Stabilization Programme. The proposed activities are fully aligned with the two main national frameworks for dealing with the current crisis in Cabo Delgado, namely the Resilience and Integrated Development Program in the North (PREDIN) and the Reconstruction Plan in the areas affected by terrorism in Cabo Delgado (PRCD - 2021-2024).