Mozambique’s Minister of Transport and Communications admitted today that there are “constraints” on the mobility of people and goods in Cabo Delgado due to climate change and armed violence in the province, mentioning sporadic attacks.
“In terms of terrorism and security, it is clear that there is a certain level of constraint [on mobility], although what is said in the media is not always the exact picture of what happens in reality,” said Mateus Magala, in an interview with Lusa in Pemba, the provincial capital of Cabo Delgado.
Despite the insecurity, the minister said that the population has moved to other parts of the province, referring to sporadic attacks that can occur “anywhere”.
“There is no permanent trend of attacks in this area, there isn’t (…). It can happen anywhere, even where you least expect it,” he emphasised.
The Mozambican Transport Minister called for continued trust in the Defence and Security Forces, as well as investment in resources, training, knowledge and technologies “that help increase security”.
“There will always be threats to human security and people’s lives. The most important thing is not to recognise this and then back down from what needs to be done, the important thing is to recognise this and equip yourself,” he said.
The province of Cabo Delgado has been facing an armed insurgency for six years, with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State. After a slight lull in 2023, these attacks have multiplied in recent weeks, creating around 100,000 displaced people in February alone, as well as a trail of destruction, death and mismatched families.
Mateus Magala also recognised that the country’s infrastructure “is not resilient to climate change”, a situation that affects the movement of people and goods during the country’s rainy season.
“We have a large part of the northern zone that suffers from erosion, where the roads are cut because of the rain, so mobility has to be constrained in every way, there is nothing else,” said Magala.
Mozambique is considered one of the countries most severely affected by global climate change, facing cyclical flooding and tropical cyclones during the rainy season.
General figures from the National Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (INGD) point to a total of 135 deaths and more than 130,000 people affected during the current rainy season, which runs from October to April.
Lusa
