The announcement was made in Maputo on Monday by the chief of the EU delegation Glauco Calzuola, following a meeting between Mozambican President Armando Guebuza and representatives of EU member countries on the occasion to mark the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the EU.
'So far, the indication is that the EU is prepared to spend, during the next five years, between 500 and 600 million Euros only in aid to Mozambique', said Calzuola.
He explained that these amounts are not included in other aid budgets, that include NGOs and other such organizations.
Calzuola said that the EU is finalizing a programme of support to Mozambique for the period between 2007 and 2013.
'the objective of our meeting with President Guebuza has to do with the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the EU, and taking into account the signing, on Sunday, of a declaration about the past and the future of the organization. It was in the line of the need of the sharing of this moment that we decided to address our privileged partners, such as Mozambique', said one participant of the EU member countries.
In recent times, the EU classified Mozambique among the first three beneficiaries of the organization's aid within the Africa Caribbe and Pacific (ACP) organization member countries, said Portuguese Ambassador to Mozambique Freitas Ferraz.
The EU delegation took the opportunity to present their solidarity with the victims of the explosions from the Armed Forces Arsenal in the Maputo suburb of Malhazine on Thursday, that killed at least 101 people counted so far and more than 400 others injured, and also totally or partially destroyed a number of houses and business infrastructures.
The EU delegation said the organization is prepared to continue supporting Mozambique to overcome the effect of the explosions, saying that 'we are only awaiting the government to tell us about the needs so that we analyse to what extent we can participate'.
SOURCE: AIM
