The President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, stated this Monday, May 11, that Mozambique should invest in fuel refineries and strengthen storage infrastructure in order to prepare for future international supply crises.
“We want to develop refineries and storage infrastructure in the country. The goal is to strengthen national energy logistics so that Mozambique is less vulnerable to international crises and has the capacity to respond to global challenges with internal capacity, strategic intelligence, strategic planning, strategic anticipation, and a forward-looking vision,” the Head of State said.
Speaking in Maputo during the ceremony for the delivery of 190 gas-powered buses, Daniel Chapo described the fuel crisis as a global issue, stressing the need for measures to mitigate its impact.
“It must be made clear that the fuel crisis is global, similar to what happened with COVID-19, which passed, and we are all survivors. But what we must do is take individual or collective measures to mitigate the effects. And the delivery of these 190 vehicles today is precisely one of the solutions we are bringing,” he said.
Of the total buses delivered, 40 will be specifically allocated to the school transport system, which also includes fare subsidies. The initiative is part of the Transport for All Programme, implemented by the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, aimed at equipping all municipalities with adequate public transport.
During a Cabinet meeting, the Government announced fuel price adjustments that came into effect nationwide on Thursday, May 7, justifying the revision as being aligned with international market prices.
“The price of gasoline rises to 93.69 meticais, from 83.57 meticais previously, while diesel increases from 79.88 meticais to 116.25 meticais. Lighting kerosene rises from 66.86 meticais to 97.56 meticais per litre, cooking gas increases from 86.05 meticais to 87.82 meticais per kilogram, and vehicular natural gas rises from 41.11 meticais to 52.73 meticais per litre,” explained Paulo da Graça, Chairman of the Energy Regulatory Authority (ARENE).
In response to the new prices, the Government and the Mozambican Federation of Road Transporters (FEMATRO) announced on Friday, May 8, an agreement to prevent increases in public transport fares through a compensation mechanism of 141,000 meticais (around 1,874 euros) for private operators.
