The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Verónica Macamo said at the United Nations headquarters that Mozambique has been facing difficulties in accessing more vaccines against Covid-19.

Veronica Macamo, who was speaking during the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, which ended on Monday, recalled the role of the private sector and international partners in expanding access to the immunizer. 

During the speech, the minister said that Mozambique has taken several measures to fight the pandemic, including "increased testing capacity, campaigns on prevention within communities" and restrictions.

"Vaccines today constitute an essential good that is intrinsically linked to the right to life, a right that all our States should defend. The scarcity of resources imposes that we renew our appeal to the International Community to channel its support so that, in a joint manner, we can fight Covid’ successfully," he said. Macamo also said that the "impact of the pandemic has influenced the economic slowdown of Mozambique to negative levels in 2020." 

According to statistical data, the country's GDP growth this year is expected to be only 1.3%, but the Mozambican diplomacy chief foresees a more solid growth from 2022 on.  

During her speech, the representative highlighted the impacts of terrorism on the African continent.

Combating Terrorism

"Africa is among the continents most affected by terrorism and violent extremism. In our country, they act in some districts of Cabo Delgado province, in the north of the country. The level of destruction of the economic and social fabric, the atrocities and massacres, the destruction of infrastructure and looting of community assets, have sown deep mourning, pain and suffering that has generated an unprecedented humanitarian emergency situation."  

On terrorism, the minister assured that Mozambique has given a coordinated response to combat it and said that progress is being made. "Now, the government is focusing on creating basic conditions for the population of Cabo Delgado to return to their areas of origin," she informed.