[ad_1]
Maputo — The Mozambican and United States governments signed on Thursday in Maputo an agreement under which 1.5 billion dollars of aid will be provided to Mozambique over the next five years.
A press release from the US embassy described this as a “Development Objective Grant Agreement” which officially renews the partnership between the Mozambican government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), “to promote a more peaceful, prosperous, and healthy Mozambique”.
Signing the agreement were Foreign Minister Veronica Macamo, the Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy, Abigail Dressel, and USAID-Mozambique Mission Director, Helen Pataki.
The agreement, the release said, “governs how USAID and the Mozambican government partner to implement USAID’s foreign assistance funding of $1.5 billion”.
It adds that USAID’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy for 2020-2025 “provides a roadmap for activities under the five-year agreement. Developed with key stakeholders, including the Government of Mozambique and other international donors and development organizations, the strategy focuses on three primary objectives: healthier and better educated Mozambicans; diversified and inclusive economic growth; and increased resilience of vulnerable populations”.
The five year strategy, it continues, “increases support for northern and central Mozambique to withstand the shocks of natural disasters, violent extremism, and food insecurity”.
It also intends “to promote a business environment that allows diverse and inclusive growth”. To this end, the strategy “will assist Mozambique to develop more transparent and accountable public financial management”.
It adds that “the strategy also focuses on building gender equality and increasing economic opportunities for youth”. The release did not go into any specific detail of how the money will be used.
At the signing ceremony, Dressel said, “Today, we formally renew our development partnership with Mozambique and once again pledge to stand alongside Mozambicans to find innovative solutions to current development challenges and capitalize on the potential of this country.”
[ad_2]
Source link