Nyusi to embark on a state visit to Finland next week .

From November 16–17, 2022, Filipe Nyusi, president of the Republic of Mozambique, will travel to Finland on a diplomatic mission. Sauli Niinistö, the president of the Republic of Finland, will host the visit.

On Wednesday morning, there will be formal consultations between Presidents Niinistö and Nyusi in the presidential palace. Topics will include the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Mozambique's potential membership in the UN Security Council, difficulties with food security, and climate change in addition to Finland and Mozambique's bilateral connections. The Presidents will conduct a joint press conference after their discussions.

Meetings with the Prime Minister Sanna Marin, Speaker of the Parliament Matti Vanhanen, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto are also on President Nyusi's schedule for that day.

President Nyusi will speak at a seminar on Thursday, 17 November,  on business opportunities between Mozambique and Finland organised by Business Finland, and and thereafter tour  Finnish companies.

In addition, he will explore about the Finnish school system at the University of Helsinki Viikki Normal School and Omnia, the Espoo region's Joint Authority of Education. Finland has a rich history of development collaboration with Mozambique. Finland, in particular, has aided the development of basic education in Mozambique.

Mozambique's previous presidential visit to Finland occurred in 2008, when President Tarja Halonen welcomed President Armando Guebuza's state visit.

Prime minister impressed by infrastructure reconstruction in Palma

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Twenty months after the terrorist incident in Cabo Delgado Province, the Prime Minister was impressed by the quickness of social and economic infrastructure rehabilitation in Palma's district headquarters.

Adriano Maleiane, who visited the area on Friday, expressed his satisfaction at witnessing how hard returning families work to resume their regular life.

The Prime Minister claimed, however, that he had discovered issues whose resolution the government must find as soon as possible.

The Prime Minister worked in the Mueda District on this Saturday, the final day of his working tour to Cabo Delgado, where he talked with the regional government and various social groups. 

Islamist insurgents carried out a horrible attack on the town of Palma in northern Mozambique more than a year ago that left dozens of people dead, drove others from their homes, and postponed a sizable gas project in the area.

Lake Cahora -Bassa:Fishermen denounce smuggling of kapenta

The Cahora-Bassa reservoir is the location of a network of theft and smuggling, according to kapenta fish producers in Tete's Mágoé area.

The accusation was made during the meeting with Henrique Bongece, Deputy Minister of the Sea, Inland Waters, and Fisheries.

Ditos Gabriel, president of the Kapenta Fishermen's Association, spoke on behalf of the producers, saying that they are concerned about the situation since it jeopardizes the work they do.

The Deputy Minister of the Sea, Inland Waters, and Fisheries urged all parties(Including the fisheries' security guard and the relevant governmental authorities) to conduct more thorough inspections.

"Do you hear me when I say that we would penalize or arrest anyone found stealing kapenta fish? This issue shouldn't be brought up again", he said. (RM)

Motion to assist Mozambique in its fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado is approved by the Pan-African Parliament.

Tuesday

the motion of support and solidarity for Mozambique in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado was unanimously approved by the Pan-African Parliament.

The heinous atrocities carried out by terrorists in Cabo Delgado, particularly those committed against women, children, and the old, are strongly opposed and condemned by African legislators.

All individuals who support and encourage terrorism and violent extremism in Mozambique and other parts of Africa have been repudiated and condemned.

The Pan-African Parliament called on the leaders of the continent to support Mozambique's efforts to combat the scourge of terrorism, which poses a threat to the entire southern region.

Following the national group leader's involvement during the Pan-African Parliament's discussion of peace and security in Africa, the motion of solidarity was accepted.

Aires Aly issued a warning that the terrorists' actions are becoming more concerning and that they are impeding the government's attempts to advance the nation.

Aires Aly suggested that Africa openly address the implementation of stringent border restrictions, the strengthening of police and judicial cooperation, and the establishment of effective methods to combat the financing of terrorists during the recent debate on peace and security.

This Thursday officially marks the conclusion of the first regular session of the sixth legislative assembly of the Pan-African Parliament. (RM

90 year old man narrowly escapes a lynch mob in Maputo

At the Maluana administrative post in the Manhiça district of Maputo province, a 90-year-old man who had been accused of witchcraft and other superstitious practices in the area narrowly avoided being killed by lynching by the locals.

In a situation that occurred last Monday night, the populace chose to assault after receiving repeated charges of witchcraft.

The old resident, who is also a traditional leader, had his home completely demolished during the violence by the populace, who also blames the victim for some fatalities in the area.

The elderly man cited above, who has been in the neighborhood where he is currently being evicted by the locals for nearly two years, was only saved thanks to the involvement of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM).

Juarce Martins, the PRM spokeswoman at the Maputo provincial command, reveals that the elderly man was taken in by the district command as a result of the forces' action.

"The command dispatched a battalion to save the elderly man"

 The ninety-year-old man stated that He was a subject of community hate, emphasizing that he was willing to conform to the customary test in order to learn the truth.

In light of the situation, the Police of the Republic of Mozambique in Maputo province stated that they had already identified three culprits of the act, and that the prosecution had already begun.

Gaza Province: Cases of Suicides alarmingly on the rise

In the last week alone, Gaza province has recorded a total of five cases of suicide.

According to the spokesman for the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) in Gaza, Carlos Macuácua, the cases were registered in the districts of Bilene (two), Guijá (two) and Limpopo (one).

According to Carlos Macuácua, the PRM's spokesman in Gaza, there were three districts where the instances were reported: Bilene (two), Guijá (two), and Limpopo (one).

Authorities in charge of maintaining law and order are concerned about this trend since it involves people opting suicide as a consequence of everyday challenges. According to Macuácua, who said that the deceased, four of whom were female, spanned in age from 33 to 80. The primary cause is depression brought about by passionate issues, domestic problems, and protracted diseases.

In contrast, he disclosed that a fisherman, whose identity has not been made public, perished in a wreck in the Bambene lagoon, in the Chibuto district.

The dead was one of three fisherman who set out to sea and became wrecked after one of the crew members allegedly became inebriated and lost his balance..

"We want to bring communities' attention to the necessity that people refrain from using any resource—a lake, sea, or river—while intoxicated. Macuácua warned people not to go into deep water without first having learned to swim and to observe safety precautions".

Single Salary Table: Minister requests teachers in Mozambique to remain calm

Carmelita Namashulua, the Minister of Education and Human Development (MINEDH), urged teachers to maintain their composure on Monday, saying that the Government is taking all necessary steps to address any inconsistencies that may exist in the Single Salary Table's implementation (TSU).

The official's statements come after certain teachers from some schools in the province and city of Maputo suspended their activities because they were disgruntled with the Single Salary Table's inconsistencies.

Namashulua asserts that the Ministry of State Administration and Civil Service, along with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, formed a technical team that is working actively in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Human Development to address all concerns and fix any issues that may arise during the implementation process.

"We will meet with the union once more today (monday) to discuss these issues so that the government can follow up appropriately. We urge our teachers to keep up the good work and to fully prepare our schoolchildren for the exams that will be conducted in November. If there is an issue with the salaries that we send to the appropriate institutions, we have our unions and the provincial directorates, she added, so that the government can make the required fixes.

The Minister further emphasizes the need of being calm because this is an ongoing process, and the Government will fix any inconsistencies that may develop as the TSU is implemented.

Muslim leader beheaded in Namuno; 18 rebels slain in battle in Cabo Delgado

In a further assault on the town of Murrameia, in the neighborhood of Namuno, south of Cabo Delgado, on Saturday, 29, a Muslim leader and his wife were slaughtered. Additionally, Christian churches and schools were burned down.

The locals claim they were informed about the possibility of an attack on Mozambican and international forces that are collaborating in Cabo Delgado to combat terrorism, but there was not enough time to prevent the incident.

On Saturday afternoon, 29, the terrorist organization stormed the community and set fire to schools and places of worship before kidnapping and beheading the local chief and his wife. A third person was shot and died shortly.

"People were having a funeral when suddenly the al-shaabab (local name for the insurgents) emerged" close to the village, sending some fleeing in a panic and others fleeing toward a position of government forces, alerting them to the likelihood of the attack.

18 insurgents killed

It should be noted that on Wednesday, the 26th, the armed group killed one person and set fire to a Christian church and several houses in the Chiure district.

Earlier, on Sunday, the 22nd, the armed group attacked the main village of Macomia, killing seven people.

It should be mentioned that the armed group attacked the Chiure neighborhood on Wednesday, 26th, killing one person while torching a Christian church and several homes.

Seven people were killed when the armed group invaded the town of Macomia on Sunday, October 22.

However, during a clash with Mozambican authorities on Wednesday, 26, in the Cabo Delgado district of Nangade, at least 18 terrorists perished.

According to the sources, the group operates many sub-bases and periodic attacks on communities and vehicles on the routes in the area of the conflict.

The operation, which resulted in the rebels' deaths, was concentrated on a region where the band, which has been attacking Cabo Delgado towns and villages for five years, had recently made inroads.

However, in a confrontation with Mozambican forces, on Wednesday, 26 October, at least 18 terrorists died, in the district of Nangade, in the north of Cabo Delgado,  sources linked to the incident assert.

In the region of the confrontation, the sources said, the group sporadically attacks villages and vehicles on the roads and maintains several sub-bases.

The operation, which resulted in the death of the insurgents, focused on an area where recent incursions had been recorded by the group, which has been attacking towns and villages in Cabo Delgado for half a decade.

Pan African Parliament first ordinary session: Strengthening nutritional resilience and food security on the African continent:

This Tuesday, the Pan-African Parliament discussed, among other issues, nutrition and food security on the African continent.

Yesterday, at the official opening of the first ordinary session of the sixth legislature, remarks focused on the need to find answers to Africa's food crisis, which has been exacerbated by the covid-19 pandemic.

Prior to the start of the pandemic, research indicated that more than 200 million Africans were malnourished.

This Tuesday also sees discussions about the state of peace and security in Africa as well as the adoption of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance.

Conflicts, economic and environmental disasters are all factors contributing to Africa's high malnutrition rate.

According to deputy Aires Aly, president of the national group at the Pan-African parliament, Mozambique prioritizes food and nutritional security in relation to human capital.

Mozambique, he added, continues to work towards achieving the goals defined for the year of nutrition.

Also, this Tuesday, the situation of peace and security in Africa and the implementation of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance will be discussed.

Mozambique: Prime rate rises to 20.6%

According to the Mozambican Association of Banks, the country's reference interest rate ('prime rate') for loan operations has risen the most since March 2021, climbing from 20.6% to 22.5%., 

The Bank of Mozambique rate calculated monthly by the AMB and the  (BM) is based on a single index (calculated by the central bank), which rose to 17.2%, and a cost premium of 5.3%, (set by the AMB ), which remains the same.

This is the third rise in 2022: in May the 'prime rate' had risen 50 basis points and in June, it rose 150.

To find a rise that is steeper than it is right now, go back to March 2021..

The depreciation of the metical at the time, as well as the dangers to the economy related with covid-19, cyclones, and armed unrest, necessitated a 230 basis point increase.

Increases in the 'prime rate' have been associated with the rise in the monetary policy interest rate (MIMO rate, which influences the formula for calculating the 'prime rate') by the central bank, in order to control inflation.

Year-on-year inflation was 12.01% in September, a slight slowdown of 0.09 percentage points from 12.1% in August, so slight that it is more equivalent to saying that prices have stagnated.

Food, non-alcoholic beverages, and transportation have been the most expensive commodities and services in Mozambique.

The central bank and the AMB decided in 2017 to establish the 'prime rate' in order to eliminate the proliferation of reference rates in the cost of money.

It was introduced at 27.75% at the time and has dropped 525 basis points since then.

According to the promoters, the goal is for all credit operations to be based on a single rate "plus a spread that will be added or deducted from the 'prime rate' through risk analysis."

SUDAN: WFP Welcomes SEK 26 million from the Swedish Government to support the PostHarvest Loss (PHL) Programme [EN/AR]

Khartoum – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Sudan has welcomed a contribution of SEK 26 million (US$ 2.3 Million) from the Swedish Government in support of WFP’s Post-Harvest Loss (PHL) Programme, which will be integrated with the Productive Safety Net (PSN), (a programme that received funding from the Swedish Government in 2019-2022). These funds will support advancing the capacity of over 34,000 smallholder farmers across the country through training on post-harvest handling methods and the use of hermetic storage equipment to increase food availability at the household level.

“In a year where more than a third of Sudanese people face various forms of food insecurity, any loss or waste in the food system is simply unacceptable. The contribution by the Swedish Government will go a long way in ensuring we are able to improve food security, reduce postharvest loss and help preserve greater quantity and better-quality food to meet the needs of the people of Sudan,” said Eddie Rowe, WFP’s Representative and Country Director in Sudan.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, over 30 percent of food — the equivalent of approximately US$4 billion — is lost annually in sub-Saharan Africa because of poor harvesting. Thanks to support from donors and partners, WFP is supporting smallholder farmers to acquire skills and knowledge on how to safely process and store their produce post-harvest. This includes equipping them with simple but effective hermetic storage equipment, and in collaboration with IFAD, providing them with fortified seeds to enhance production and promote market access. Since the start of the programme, participating farmers have been able to reduce post-harvest losses by up to 98%.

“We are pleased to continue our support to Sudanese smallholder farmers through our partner WFP. With the additional funds of 26 million Swedish kronor, WFP can further scale up the work to reduce Post Harvest Losses and increase food security in Sudan. Sweden values its strong partnership with WFP on these issues and we look forward to continued close cooperation.” H.E Ms. Signe Burgstaller, Ambassador of Sweden in Sudan.

The contribution from the Swedish government will be used to scale up ongoing training for farmers on preventing post-harvest losses, purchasing, and distributing an additional 104,550 hermetic bags and 17,425 manuals, and building warehouses in communities through the Productive Safety Nets (PSN) modality.

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

Source WFP 

Nampula. Disputes between two commercialization firms may result in the layoff of around 3,000 employees.

The business dispute between two trading and export companies in Nampula could result in the layoff of about three thousand agricultural workers.

The Royal Group claims that ETG Marketing obstructed the sale of around 30,000 tons of pigeon peas and soybeans to a customer in the Republic of India by allegedly giving incorrect information regarding the product's origin and quality.

The scenario compelled Mombai's port and customs authorities to forbid the entry of the ship carrying the thirty thousand tons of goods, which was where they had to be unloaded and sold.

The Royal Group, feeling deluded, filed a lawsuit against ETG Marketing, which resulted in the preventive seizure of all assets, including  accounts cancellation and suspension of  business  operations .

The Mocmboa da Praia neighborhood in Cabo Delgado saw a return of almost 35,000 inhabitants.

Following terrorist attacks, more than 35,000 residents of the Mocmboa da Praia neighborhood in Cabo Delgado have already willingly returned to their homes.

The improvement in security conditions, according to the district administrator of Mocmboa da Praia, is encouraging families to return.

According to Sérgio Cipriano, a significant portion of the formerly abandoned communities are already starting to be occupied.

He cited the example of the populace return to the Mbau administrative post and other communities with more than eight administrative posts in the Mocmboa da Praia district's central and northern regions.

Mozambique:Starts a national moratorium on the harvest of surface shrimp and mangrove crab

In all of the nation's coastal provinces, the period of the fishing ban for surface shrimp and mangrove crab starts this Tuesday.

The strategy, according to the Ministry of the Sea, Inland Waters, and Fisheries, aims to ensure that species and stocks will be replaced in time for the upcoming fishing season.

Lidia Cardoso, the minister of the sea, inland waters, and fisheries, promises that the government will keep looking for ways to stop illegal fishing in the nation.

Lidia Cardoso noted this Monday evening on the program Cartas na Mesa on Rádio Moçambique that the nation has the assistance of international partners in this quest for solutions. (RM)

Terrorism in Cabo Delgado: beheadings continue.

Another attack by  terrorists led to the beheading of a man at the Namogelia administrative post in the Chire Administrative Post of Cabo Delgado.

The incursion happened this Wednesday approximately 5:00 am, when the attackers set fire to a church and a number of residents' homes.

According to sources, the attack happened in a village near Bilibiza, where the terrorists entered and started firing in all directions, sending the locals into a state of panic. While the majority of the population has still not left the village, some people chose to go to other areas of the Nampula province while some elected to go to the district headquarters.

In a location close to Bilibiza, the Defense and Security Forces and villagers reportedly started pursuing the terrorists, and five of them were reportedly arrested.

Three more dead bodies, thought to have been beheaded, were discovered in the Chiure district on Wednesday, increasing the total number of fatalities in the Messanja region, Katapua Administrative Post, to four.

Sofala. The first 50 homes could be delivered to Nhamatanda's Idai victims before year's end.

The first fifty dwellings under construction will be delivered in December to individuals devastated by Cyclone Idai in the Nhamatanda district of Sofala.

The property is part of the TSUCHI foundation's thousand-house project, which has a budget of more than four billion meticais.

The initiative, which is part of the post-cyclone rehabilitation, impressed Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane, who visited the Ndeja resettlement district in Nhamatanda on Friday.

"Houses are being constructed. I went to look at type II and type I houses. I observed a lot of joy on the faces of the people who will reside in these dwellings. They now have a lot of obligation to take care of these news homes .

We'll find it's beautiful when we come to visit again in a year, he predicted.

The people who were relocated applauded the government's efforts to establish favorable circumstances for Cyclone Idai damage restoration. (RM)

Mozambique among the 30 countries most hit by TB last year

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 Within the list of the 30 countries with the most cases of tuberculosis in 2021, according to a report released yesterday by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the disease are Angola, Brazil and Mozambique .

The document analyses the response to tuberculosis n 215 countries or territories in 2021