By The Club of Mozambique
President of the Republic Filipe Jacinto Nyusi yesterday launched the Maputo Environmental Protection Area [APA – Maputo], to be managed by the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC).
During his speech, the head of state said that in the on-going governance cycle no efforts was spared to protect nature, and that Mozambique had everything it took to be a leader in conservation, as long as it brings benefits to the country.
“This was a cycle in which we tried our best to defend nature. A lot that has been done, although much remains to be done, so we deserve to become leaders in conservation, but to reap the benefits also,” President Nyusi said. President Nyusi also pointed out the importance of leadership in the success of conservation policy implementation, noting that a leader who does not inspire his or her collaborators usually comes out loosing.
“One has to trust and believe in people. The reason for the success of conservation programmes is that you believed in yourself and gave more people opportunities,” he said.
He commended as a milestone the fact that the Maputo Reserve now has more elephants than at any time in the past, to the point of surplus animals now being used to repopulate other areas. “I encourage this to be just a starting point, because the country is vast and has a lot of potential for being exploited in the same way,” the president said.
The Maputo Environmental Protection Area was approved by Decree at the last Council of Ministers session of the year, on Tuesday of this week.
The new area aims to enhance the integrated management of landscapes with specific and exceptional aesthetic, ecological, cultural qualities within the boundaries of the area comprising the Maputo Special Reserve, Ponta do Ouro Marine Reserve and Inhaca Island Partial Reserve.
