Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Moçambique

EU diplomats in Mozambique visit GNP

Nov 11, 2009 - Gorongosa National Park

Representatives of the diplomatic corps of the European Union (EU) posted in Mozambique recently visited Gorongosa National Park (GNP) and were enthusiastic about the work of the Restoration Project. 

The delegation of 16 people, the majority ambassadors, representing 11 countries of the economic and political organization of the "Old Continent", arrived at Chitengo camp in three cars and was received in Mutua, in the district of Dondo, by the director of the Department of Communication and by the manager of GNP Scientific Services, respectively Vasco Galante and Franziska Steinbruch. 

The visit to the provinces, organized by Sweden, that currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU for six months until next December, aimed at getting to know the reality of the Country better, especially the rural zones, through direct contact with the local people, community leaders, managers and others players in civil society. 

Upon their arrival to Sofala, they met with the permanent provincial secretary, António Máquina, and the president of the Municipal Council of Beira, Daviz Simango, in "Chiveve". 

In the journey to GNP they climbed up to Mafambisse to visit the Water Collection Station of Dingue-Dingue and the Management Project of the Hydrographic Basin of Punguè.  This last one is a program that has the support of the Swedish Government, which aims at, among several aspects, monitoring the river in regards to the entrance of seawater and the effects of climatic changes with an aim to guarantee quality of water for human consumption and irrigation of the fields of the sugar factory of Mafambisse. 

In GNP, where they stayed a night, the high-level European dignitaries visited the work of the Community Education Center (CEC).  It includes a "green construction" of multiple infrastructures that will take two phases.  The first is already in the conclusive phase. 

Equally, they participated in a lecture about conservation given by Franziska Steinbruch and in a session about National Geographic’s promotional film "Africa' s Lost Eden” about GNP, that will be initially exhibited to the public of the U.S.A. in January and to viewers from the rest of the world two months later.  The world preview-screening has been scheduled for December in Maputo. 



These actions impressed the diplomats that praised the efforts of the Restoration Project.  According to the Political Counsellor of the Embassy of Sweden and coordinator of the committee, Sten Engdahl, "in the field, the team witnessed the achievement of a great reconstruction effort of the Park and social effort on behalf of the local communities". 

Sten Engdahl believes that "with the building of the CEC, relations with the regional populations will be perfected and will extend the improvement work on the quality of life for them". 

On the other hand, they hope for a prosperous future for tourist activities, given that this conservation area has all the attractive potential for it.  "The Park is fantastic.  It has new infrastructures and good management, therefore, it has all the conditions to attract more tourists" – he emphasized.  But, to achieve the anticipated success, according to the Swedish representative, it is necessary to intensify the marketing campaign to popularize the image of the Park even more. 




At the end of the visit to GNP, they went on a safari directed by an experienced tour guide of the Park, Adolfo Macadona.


Right away they continued the journey to Caia with the purpose of visiting the Armando Guebuza Bridge over the Zambeze River, financed by Sweden, the EU and Italy.  They finished by going down to the city of Quelimane for meetings with NGOs that work in the environmental area to tackle questions related to deforestation and the use of natural resources.  

Carlitos Sunza
Department of Communications/GNP