The World Bank "will not abandon" Mozambique, said Tuesday the Bank's Director of Operations, Axel van Trotsenburgwho argued that sustainable development is essential for peace in Cabo Delgado.

"The World Bank wants to work with Mozambique to see how, starting from sustainable development, it is possible to accompany the country in the search for peace. It is a difficult process, but we will not abandon the country," Axel van Trotsenburg, director of the institution, told reporters on Tuesday (18.05).

The World Bank representative met yesterday with the President of the Republic, Filipe Nyusi, on the sidelines of the Summit on the Future of African Economies, taking place in Paris.

Axel van Trotsenburg considers terrorism to be "a terrible challenge" and one of the most difficult problems to solve in terms of its impact on economies, but the World Bank's support is total, he assured.

"The relationship between Mozambique and the World Bank is strong and I think we can continue to build a relationship of trust and good partnership," van Trotsenburg indicated.

"Solution built by Mozambicans"

The World Bank also stressed the importance of the solution for Cabo Delgado being built by Mozambicans.

"It is important that Mozambique finds a solution among Mozambicans. They know their own country, its dynamics, but we can provide complementary support," he concluded.

Armed groups have terrorized Cabo Delgado since 2017, with some attacks claimed by the 'jihadist' group Islamic State, in a wave of violence that has led to more than 2,500 deaths, according to the ACLED conflict registration project, and 714,000 displaced people, according to the Mozambican government.

The village of Palma, about six kilometers from the multinational Total's natural gas project, suffered an armed attack on March 24, which Mozambican authorities say resulted in the deaths of dozens of people and the flight of thousands.