Mozambican President Armando Guebuza recently urged all Mozambicans, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the country's independence on June 25, to fight against poverty.

A recent extended Council of Ministers (Cabinet) meeting, where all provincial governors, permanent secretaries of ministries, leading figures in the Mozambican ruling Frelimo party, and other senior officials were invited, decided the principle that the district must be the basic planning unit for the reduction of poverty in Mozambique.

This means that the Mozambican government is determined to challenge poverty, in a country where dependence from foreign aid seems to be a habit and a "common phenomenon," or even a "natural environment."

To tackle this problem, the Mozambican government has established 2010 as a target period to reduce the number of people living in absolute poverty in the country to figures lower than 50percent.

For this effect, Guebuza has been urging all government officials, at all levels, to change their mentality, and be concerned about the people's suffering and difficulties. He also wants them all to engage in the fight against corruption, apathy, and red tape, which he describes as the main obstacles to development of the country.

Guebuza has told all Mozambicans to bear in mind that "poverty is not a destiny," and that "we can change all that, if we use all available means and resources to develop production, in cooperation with the government."

Meanwhile, the Mozambican government has been using all means to attract foreign investment, for which it has promised to create a favorable business environment, which includes improving efficiency in the public sector and a crackdown on crime.

Alongside these policies, Guebuza's government also calls for more effective foreign aid from African countries' partners, to help these countries to create viable and sustainable mechanisms to fight against poverty.

However, eradication of poverty would not be an easy job for the government, since Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world as declared by the UN. In 2005, almost half of the state budget is still depending on foreign aid. Given that, Guebuza and his government surely have a long and hard way to go.

(Xinhua News Agency July 16, 2005)