The Banco de Moçambique delivered training to journalists from media outlets in Gaza Province on 14 and 15 October in Xai-Xai, in coordination with the National Union of Journalists (SNJ).

The training was held as part of the “Economics for All” programme and was designed to strengthen participants’ understanding of how the foreign exchange market and the Mozambique Sovereign Wealth Fund operate.

Speaking at the opening of the seminar on behalf of the Director of the Xai-Xai Branch, the Head of the Administration and Accounting Service, Neuza Mussambaule, noted that the growing complexity of economic and financial matters, coupled with the speed at which information now circulates through digital technologies, underscores the increasing importance of initiatives of this nature. She highlighted, in particular, the crucial role journalists play in helping build a society that is better equipped to make informed decisions on issues that directly affect people’s lives.

Neuza Mussambaule encouraged participants to engage actively in the training sessions by asking questions and sharing experiences from their professional work. She noted that such participation would help ensure that the initiative achieves the expected results while also strengthening ties between the central bank and media professionals.

The sessions were highly interactive. Presentations on “Exchange Rates and the Foreign Exchange Market: What They Are and How They Work” and “Mozambique Sovereign Wealth Fund: Governance and Operationalisation” were delivered by the Director of the Sovereign Wealth Fund Management Office, Cláudio Mangue, and the Senior Specialist at the Governor’s Office, Elton Cavadias.

Speaking on behalf of the journalists, the SNJ Provincial Secretary for Gaza, Hortência Matavele, welcomed the initiative and said that the training would make an important contribution to strengthening journalists’ ability to report on economic and financial matters.

“By the end of these two days, we will be better equipped to interpret the concepts covered, thereby helping to improve the quality of journalism on these subjects,” she said.

Wrapping up, the Director of the Xai-Xai Branch, Domingos Fumo, expressed the hope that the knowledge acquired would help improve the quality of journalistic work and strengthen media professionals’ interest in issues related to the central bank’s mandate and mission.

Domingos Fumo also thanked the SNJ for mobilising media professionals and helping make the training possible. He encouraged participants to share the knowledge acquired with journalists who were unable to attend the event.