On Wednesday, April 8, the prime minister called on the new leadership of the Energy Fund (Funae) to expand energy generation capacity using alternative sources, with a view to accelerating universal access, particularly for populations outside the National Electric Grid, the Lusa news agency reported.
“It is up to Funae to expand its energy generation capacity by using alternative sources, so as to reach a growing number of citizens living in areas not covered by the National Power Grid, benefiting communities, households, and small local businesses that would otherwise be excluded from the benefits of using electricity,” said Prime Minister Maria Benvinda Levi.
The prime minister was speaking in Maputo after swearing in Mety Gondola as chair of FUNAE’s Board of Directors, during which she emphasized the importance of energy in transforming citizens’ living conditions, particularly by raising educational levels and creating better conditions for the development of entrepreneurial initiatives, with a focus on the preservation of perishable goods.
Maria Benvinda Levi noted that Funae was established to harness the country’s vast potential in the field of renewable energy, creating the conditions to accelerate and consolidate the national electrification process, as well as to position Mozambique among the leading producers of clean energy.
In this context, she expressed her expectation that Funae will establish itself as an increasingly strategic institution in promoting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient energy solutions, ensuring the generation, access, and use of electricity through photovoltaic, hydro, wind, and mini-grid technologies.
“To date, the various electrification programs and projects implemented in the National Electric Grid and in off-grid systems have enabled approximately 65% of the population to have access to electricity. Electrification based on off-grid systems—that is, outside the National Electric Grid—is, and will continue to be, crucial for increasing national generation capacity,” he stated.
It is Funae’s responsibility to expand its power generation capacity by utilizing alternative sources, in order to serve a growing number of residents in areas not covered by the National Power Grid
Maria Benvinda Levi
The Prime Minister also urged the new leadership to implement programs and actions that contribute to achieving the electrification targets for Administrative Post headquarters set out in the Government’s Five-Year Plan through 2029, while simultaneously strengthening mechanisms for coordination and collaboration with development partners and the private sector, with a view to mobilizing investments for grid expansion.
At the same ceremony, the minister officially appointed Leonardo António Chavane and Nórgia Elsa Machava as director-general and deputy director-general of the Higher Institute of Health Sciences (ISCISA), respectively, emphasizing that this institution trains professionals based on principles of ethics, professional conduct, and respect for human life; it is therefore essential to ensure the ongoing quality of the services provided by its graduates.
According to Benvinda Levi, ISCISA is in the process of establishing itself as a leading institution in health education, building on this position through an increase in the number of programs and specializations, as well as the goal of ensuring an adequate ratio of health professionals per 10,000 inhabitants.
“We recommend that they consolidate and expand cooperation partnerships, both nationally and internationally, promoting knowledge sharing, academic mobility, and applied research. We also recommend strengthening institutional coordination mechanisms with the Ministry of Health to ensure that training meets the real needs of the National Health System,” she concluded.
