Today, 7 November, the Governor of the Banco de Moçambique, Rogério Zandamela, presided over the closing ceremony of the Bank’s 50th Advisory Board Meeting (CCBM), held at the Alberto Joaquim Chipande Teacher Training Institute in Pemba, from November 5 to 7.

In his closing remarks, Governor Zandamela expressed satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment to all relevant parties involved in organizing the event. He also extended his appreciation for the valuable contributions presented during the meeting, noting that these would later be shared with the competent entities to support the effective implementation of the recommendations made during the public session.

Earlier, during the opening of the final session of the 50th CCBM, the Governor reviewed the activities conducted over the first two days of the event, which included internal institutional review sessions and visits to social and economic enterprises.

Turning to the purpose of this last session—dedicated to the presentation and discussion of the theme “Challenges for the Development of the Fisheries Sector in Mozambique: The Case of Cabo Delgado Province”, Governor Zandamela explained that the choice of topic arose from a concrete concern to understand why a sector with such strong economic and social potential continues to fall short of its true capacity to contribute to the country’s balanced and inclusive development.

“The question that naturally arises is: What, after all, are the real challenges hindering the sustainable development of the fisheries sector in Mozambique, particularly in Cabo Delgado Province? It is searching for answers to this question that we have brought together, in this forum, the main stakeholders and the public at large, to reflect jointly on practical and sustainable solutions that can revitalize the sector and harness the country’s fisheries potential, based on the study that will be presented next,” said Zandamela.

At the end of his speech, Governor Zandamela launched BmChat, the Banco de Moçambique’s new virtual assistant, developed under the Bank’s Digital Transformation Strategy. The tool is an innovative technological solution accessible via WhatsApp, Facebook, or the Bank’s website, providing information about the Bank’s areas of operation. On the occasion, Governor Zandamela invited attendees to explore the platform and scan the QR codes available at the venue and the Banco de Moçambique's stand.

In his remarks, the Mayor of Pemba, Satar Abdulgani, said that hosting the Advisory Board Meeting in Pemba was, for him and for the city’s residents, a gesture of inclusion that fostered a sense of national unity. Abdulgani also praised Pemba Bay, the world’s third-largest, and invited all participants to visit the beautiful beaches of the provincial capital.

Meanwhile, the Governor of Cabo Delgado Province, Valige Tauabo, expressed great satisfaction and encouragement at witnessing the presentation of the study, reaffirming the Government of Mozambique’s interest, through its principal financial advisor, in investing in the fisheries sector, one of the key drivers of economic growth and income generation for local communities.

“Beyond gaining a more in-depth understanding of the current state of the fisheries sector in the province, our expectation is to see the resumption and strengthening of fishing activities through investments that will enable us to achieve higher levels of production and productivity. We are confident that the discussions and recommendations emerging from this meeting will help boost fishing activities in Cabo Delgado and across the country. Once again, I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Banco de Moçambique for choosing our province to host this important event,” he concluded.

The study was presented by the Director of the Department of International Relations and Protocol, Zacarias Maculuve, and was preceded by the screening of a video on the topic.

The subsequent discussion included remarks and observations from several participants,  including the National Director for the Fisheries Sector, Lucinda Mangue; former Governors of the Bank, Adriano Maleiane and Ernesto Gove; the President of the CTA in Cabo Delgado, Mamudo Irage; and other contributors.

In attendance at the public session of the 50th CCBM were former Governors of the Bank, BM Board Members, advisors, managers and technical staff, representatives of credit institutions and financial companies, professionals from the fisheries sector, academics, among other guests.