Maputo, Mozambique, 19 March – The process of providing aid that the Group of 19 countries offers to Mozambique will be concluded by April, the Mozambican minister for Planning and Development said Thursday in Maputo, citing an agreement between the parties.

“There is just an issue of scheduling for some donor countries left,” said Aiuba Cuereneia, noting that the whole process would be concluded by next April, with some members of the so-called G19 already having announced the transfer of funds.

On Wednesday the Minister had said that the government reached an agreement with the G19, the group of countries and institutions that provide around half of the funds for the State Budget.

Normally that aid is provided in January, but this year talks became more complex because some members of the G19 demanded political reforms in return for transferring the funds.

“Thankfully we reached an agreement,” the minister said Thursday, denying that theb government had given in to the G19. “The government did not give in, we came to an understanding at the negotiating table,” he said.

The G19 were demanding for example, a revision of the electoral law, the creation of laws to combat corruption and to make state institutions free of party politics.

Of the three demands, at least one will be met as the Republican Assembly is to review the electoral law in the current legislative session. (macauhub)