from DION HENRICK in Cape Town
Western Cape Bureau
CAPE TOWN, (CAJ News) – A MOZAMBICAN government official said the situation in the terror-prone northern parts of the country has stabilized since the deployment of troops from the Southern African region and Rwanda.
Catarina Mário Dimande António, Chairperson of Mozambique’s International Relations, Cooperation Parliamentary Committee, gave the assurance in South Africa when she met her counterpart, Supra Mahumapelo.
“We would like to thank South Africa for the unconditional support in fighting against terrorism in Mozambique and by sending its military personnel and for providing humanitarian support,” she said.
South African troops are part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional forces whose deployment to Mozambique in 2021.
Antonio said following the situation stabilizing, infrastructure is now being rebuilt and public administration and financial services are continuing.
The insurgency by Islamists in the northern Cabo Delgado province and surrounding regions has left an estimated 6 500 people dead and 1 million displaced since 2017.
The Mozambican legislator updated that from an economic point of view, the Mozambican government has reached an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to resume financial support, which was suspended in 2015.
The suspension followed the “hidden debt” scandal, which came to light in 2014.
Some Mozambican state-owned companies clandestinely borrowed $2 billion from international banks to finance purchases of fishing vessels and military patrol boats.
The purpose of the Mozambican delegation’s visit to South Africa this week was to facilitate an exchange of views and experiences as well as consolidate cooperation between the two countries.
Mahumapelo assured the Mozambican delegation that South Africa will continue to assist Mozambique avert natural and other disasters.
– CAJ News