CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION CALLS FOR DIALOGUE

A visiting delegation from the US Congress declared on Monday that the only tool that can guarantee Mozambique’s continued growth is a dialogue leading to an effective peace.The leader of the delegation, Republican Senator from Arizona, Jeff Flake, made this claim immediately after an audience granted by Mozambican Foreign Minister Oldemiro Baloi.“We are pleased with the legislative advances the country has made in recent years”, Flake said. “It is in our interest that peace be established, so that various sectors of society are not compromised”. The United States wants Mozambique to continue growing in a favourable environment, and to remain a safe destination for investment. “That’s why we are calling for urgent dialogue between the parties involved, since this is the best path for solving conflicts”, said Flake. He also praised advances made in the fight against poaching. “We have witnessed an improvement in the strategies for combating poaching”, said Flake. “We note that work is being done so that the parks and reserves become less vulnerable to poachers”. He recalled that Mozambique had gone through very difficult times during the war of destabilization “and this scenario must not be repeated, because it may compromise the economic development of the county, particularly the quality of life, the development of infrastructures, and the growth of tourism, and could put at risk all the advances made in recent years”. “Tourism is one of the sectors that most needs peace”, said Flake. “People need security for tourism. So we shall continue to redouble our efforts to guarantee the positive role of our intervention in attaining peace. We repeat that there is an eminent need for understanding”.