Maputo — Mozambican President, Filipe Nyusi has called for more interaction between the courts and communities in the protection of biodiversity in Zumbo district, in the western Mozambican province of Tete.

According to Nyusi, who was speaking on Tuesday at the inauguration of the new Zumbo district court, the interaction arises from the fact that the district is located in a region rich in mineral resources, including coal, copper, gold and graphite, as well as mineralised water springs.

"The district is also rich in wildlife species, such as elephants, buffalo, hippos, crocodiles, hyenas, leopards, zebras, lions and warthogs', Nyusi said.

The construction of a courthouse in that district is the result of an initiative entitled "One district, one decent courthouse', in order to respond to the concerns of the population and expand the network of courts.

Work on the courthouse, budgeted at 60 million meticais (around 940,000 dollars), began in July 2021.

Nyusi also guaranteed that the government will submit a budget proposal for paving the road linking the Bene region, in Chifunde district, to Zumbo town.

He stressed the importance of the road, saying that it aims to ensure that Mozambique is effectively connected from the Rovuma to the Maputo and from Zumbo to the Indian Ocean. (The Rovuma and the Maputo rivers mark the northern and southern boundaries of the country, while Zumbo is its westernmost point).

"We can no longer say that we are a people united from the Rovuma to the Maputo and from Zumbo to the Indian Ocean, when you can't get to Zumbo with the same simplicity', he said, adding that the town of Zumbo has a low level of traffic due to the lack of the road, despite the fact that it is a region with strong agricultural potential.