Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Moçambique

Portugal supports Renewal of Gorongosa Park

Feb 8, 2007 - Gorongosa National Park

Portugal is to provide support for a project to protect and restore the ecosystem of the Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique and develop an eco-tourism industry, the Portuguese secretary of state for Foreign Affairs said in Maputo Wednesday. The project is part of the next Indicative Cooperation Program (PIC) between Portugal and Mozambique for the 2007-2009 period, the memorandum of understanding for which was signed Wednesday by João Cravinho and the Mozambican deputy foreign minister, Henrique Banze.

Speaking to Portuguese news agency Lusa, the secretary of state said that Gorongosa National Park had been chosen to be part of the cooperation between Lisbon and Maputo in the next three-year period due to the "great development impact," it could have.

In 2007, Portugal's involvement in this project will have an estimated cost of 250,000 euros, a figure which could change depending on the capacity to absorb the available funds, or the addition of new areas.