Maputo, Mozambique, 30 April – The North American government is to set aside US$2 billion in aid for Mozambique over the next five years, almost the whole of the amount paid since the start of bilateral cooperation 25 years ago, said the US business attaché in Maputo on Wednesday.

Since the start of aid to the country in 1984, the USA had spent US$2.75 billion in development programs, said Todd Chapman, the US business attaché in Maputo.

Chapman, speaking about the 25 years of cooperation between the two countries, justified the increase in aid (equivalent to this year’s State Budget) by the fact that the promoters of projects financed by the US had obtained good results.

According to Chapman, funding from the North American government to Mozambique was managed by non-governmental organizations, mainly from North America, and by Mozambican government ministers, through specific projects.

The United States is one of a group of countries and institutions that support the General State Budget, though the investments announced on Wednesday are not part of the funding for the Mozambican Budget from the group of donors, known as the G-19.

The main sectors to benefit from the North American aid were health, agriculture (food aid) and public works (the building of infrastructures), said the diplomat. (macauhub)