AMBASSADOR PETER H. VROOMAN’S REMARKS
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U.S. Government Funds Construction of New Secondary School in Pemba
Your Excellency Minister of Education,
Your Excellency Secretary of State of Cabo Delgado Province,
Representatives of Ministry and District Offices,
Ladies and Gentlemen, all protocols observed,
It is an honor to be here today to enhance the strong partnership between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Mozambique, through the Ministry of Education and Human Development. At this site in particular, this partnership will provide access to education for up to 4,500 students annually, improving and strengthening the education sector in Cabo Delgado Province. We are proud to be here today to see the beginning of construction of the Maringanha Secondary School and to sign the Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry.
The ongoing conflict in the region has resulted in the flight of nearly 18,000 internally displaced students to the city of Pemba, causing further pressure on the already stressed educational infrastructure. Today we are here with the Ministry of Education to bring solutions to this challenge.
Young people without access to education or job opportunities have been one of the most vulnerable targets to enlisting violent extremist groups. I am therefore happy to join our Mozambican and US teams in the effort to build the Maringanha Secondary School. The construction of the school will include local laborers for up to 40% of the workforce. We envision that these workers and these students will be less vulnerable to these extremist groups and better able to move forward into building a bright future for Cabo Delgado.
The U.S. Government has so far committed $6.6 million to this project through the new 10-year strategy to prevent conflict and promote stability in Mozambique. This strategy supports the Government of Mozambique’s efforts in the reconstruction of critical infrastructure, as prioritized in the Government’s Cabo Delgado Reconstruction Plan.
Although we are just beginning the implementation of this project, we know that the people of Cabo Delgado no longer want to hear speeches. They want physical evidence of our work to improve their current situation. So my appeal is for all of us to celebrate now, but then to quickly roll up our sleeves and start working on full implementation.
The construction of the Maringanha Secondary School in Pemba is a physical demonstration of the commitment of the American people to Mozambique. We are here today as a sign of our successful bilateral partnership in the education sector. This is a day for us to celebrate!
This gift from the American people is an investment in the Mozambican people. We look forward to continuing to work closely with you in the future.
Obrigado e estamos juntos!
Media interested in receiving more information should contact the U.S. Embassy Press Office by e-mail: MaputoPress@state.gov.
