"GOOD DAY FOR PEACE"
According to the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP), 80% of Mozambique's population cannot afford the minimum costs for an adequate diet
"It’s definitely a good day for peace and reconciliation," said Myrta Kaulard, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Mozambique. "For good elections you need peace. For development you need peace."
Kaulard, who attended the meeting, said Francis’ message would give a "positive boost," but so would his mere presence, noting the last time Mozambique was in the spotlight was for cyclones that killed more that a thousand people in March.
Francis also touched on environmental problems, another big theme of the trip that will take him on to Madagascar and Mauritius.
He said Mozambicans should be vigilant against pillaging and unethical exploitation of natural resources "driven by a greed generally not cultivated even by the inhabitants of these lands, nor motivated by the common good of your people".
According to the World Bank, Mozambique has lost 8 million hectares of forest, about the size of Portugal, since the 1970s.
As Asian supplies of valuable hardwoods like rosewood used to make luxury furniture have been depleted, Chinese importers have shifted to Africa. Mozambique is currently the 10th largest supplier of rosewood to China, according to Chinese customs data cited by U.S.-based non-profit group Forest Trends.
