The visit started in Maputo on Wednesday with talks with President Filipe Nyusi and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jose Pacheco, focusing on humanitarian efforts following Cyclone Idai and the country’s reconstruction.

Other priority issues include the climate and environment, and enhanced resilience against natural disasters. 

“Mozambique is in acute need of support following the cyclones that have hit the country. It is important that actions are taken to strengthen the country’s resilience to future natural disasters. In the wake of the cyclones, large sections of the electricity network are down, which is why we are going to take part in rebuilding the energy sector, and sustainable agriculture, which was hit hard,” says Mr Eriksson.

Sweden has extensive development cooperation with Mozambique, and has been committed to helping the country combat poverty since it gained independence in 1975. Sweden contributes to the UN and other humanitarian actors’ efforts through extensive core support, which enabled rapid response when the cyclone hit.

“We’re seeing an increasing number of natural disasters in the area, and there is a clear link to climate change. This confirms the acute need for efforts to both reduce our emissions and enable our societies to adapt to new extreme weather conditions. The cost of climate change is increasing globally. Sweden prioritises climate action in our international development cooperation,” says Mr Eriksson.