The Mozambican government has launched a new programme valued at approximately US$128 million to accelerate job creation, support businesses with hiring capacity, and improve the integration of young people into the labour market.
The initiative, named 'Jobs Now', was presented by President Daniel Chapo during the inauguration of the Mocuba Business Centre in Zambézia province, according to the Portuguese news agency Lusa.
The head of state said the programme aims to address the challenge of unemployment, with a particular focus on youth and women, by strengthening the linkages between financing, vocational training, entrepreneurship, and the needs of the private sector. "It is to respond to this challenge that we today launch the 'Jobs Now' programme, an initiative aimed at accelerating job creation for young people, supporting youth employability, strengthening companies, boosting sectors with the greatest capacity to absorb labour, and generating income," he said.
Daniel Chapo explained that the programme's impact should not be measured solely by the volume of resources mobilised, but above all by its capacity to translate financing into actual jobs. "The success of this programme should be measured not only by the resources mobilised — which amount to approximately US$128 million — but above all by the jobs created, the quality of those jobs, and the capacity to integrate young people and women into economic activity," he argued.
The president also emphasised that economic growth only produces development when it directly improves living conditions for the population, household income, and the strength of national companies. "The government is aware that economic growth only becomes true development when it reaches communities. When money reaches people's pockets, that is when we can speak of development," he declared.
The new programme is designed to operate in coordination with existing public instruments, including the Catalytic Fund, Emprega, ProJovem, Promulher, and Acredita Emprega.
According to Chapo, the objective is to reduce the fragmentation between different initiatives and create a more coordinated response linking training, financing, and the effective demand for labour from businesses. "We want to move from scattered initiatives to a coordinated response. We want the training of young people to be connected to the real needs of companies, and for financing to reach those who have the capacity to produce and employ," he said.
The head of state also reiterated the role of the private sector in generating income and employment, arguing that it falls to the state to improve the business environment and remove obstacles to investment. "We, as the public sector, cannot have 'complication machines' just to make things harder for the private sector," he said, calling for greater speed, transparency, and efficiency from public services.
During his address, Daniel Chapo also referenced the planned investments in the Rovuma Basin in Cabo Delgado, which could reach approximately US$60 billion over the coming years, driven primarily by natural gas projects.
The president indicated that the government is also preparing reforms in areas such as mining and petroleum legislation, local content, and the creation of a Development Bank, with the aim of increasing the participation of national companies in large-scale projects.
On the same occasion, the Mocuba Business Centre was officially inaugurated — an infrastructure facility designed to support entrepreneurs and investors, facilitate the formalisation of businesses, and bring public services closer to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=537549
