TotalEnergies will provide $10 million to fund employment promotion and income-generation programmes in the districts of Palma and Mocímboa da Praia, in Cabo Delgado province, under a partnership with the Northern Integrated Development Agency (ADIN).
The financing stems from a memorandum of understanding signed between ADIN and TotalEnergies EP Mozambique Area 1, operator of the Mozambique LNG project, according to the Lusa news agency. The funds are intended to support initiatives aimed at improving living conditions for local communities and stimulating economic activity across both districts.
According to ADIN, the programme will cover sectors including agriculture, livestock, fisheries, agro-processing, infrastructure development, biodiversity conservation, and cultural promotion, alongside measures to strengthen community resilience. Within the agricultural component, support is planned for cooperatives to boost production, improve processing, and facilitate market access, with particular focus on creating employment opportunities for young people.
The programme also envisages the construction and rehabilitation of tertiary roads, with the objective of improving population mobility and facilitating the transport and distribution of produce to local markets. Minister of Planning and Development Salim Valá said the initiative could help drive economic and social development in Cabo Delgado and unlock the region's productive potential.
The minister added that the agreement also fits within broader economic diversification efforts, by promoting productive activities that reduce communities' dependence on the extraction of natural resources.
ADIN Executive Commission President Jacinto Loureiro said the memorandum is aligned with national development policies and should contribute to the creation of new economic and employment opportunities for the populations concerned.
TotalEnergies' representative in Mozambique, Maxime Rabilloud, explained that the initiative also aims to reinforce efforts to stabilise living conditions for communities affected by insecurity in Cabo Delgado. He noted that programmes developed under the Mozambique LNG project have already generated approximately 8,500 jobs since 2022, spanning areas such as education, health, agriculture, fisheries, biodiversity, and trade.
Beyond support for productive activities, the new programme is expected to finance sustainable management initiatives in conservation areas, mechanisms to address the impacts of climate shocks, and actions designed to strengthen social cohesion within communities. The investment comes as Cabo Delgado seeks to restore economic activity and develop new sources of income in areas that have been affected by years of insecurity, particularly in the northern districts of the province.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=537514
