Maputo — Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi believes that, despite some sporadic attacks by Islamist terrorists, the situation in the Northern Province of Cabo Delgado is relatively calm.

According to Nyusi, who was speaking, on Tuesday, to an American delegation from the International Conservation Caucus Foundation Group (ICCF), which is paying a working visit to the country in preparation for another conference on the Miombo forests, to be held in New York on 23 September, the terrorists are being weakened by the Mozambican Defence and Security Forces (FDS), who are fighting with the help of troops from Rwanda.

"We are in a phase of reconstruction, although terrorists are still appearing. So maybe they're listening to us and tomorrow they'll do something. In Mocímboa da Praia, a town that was abandoned for a long time, the population has already returned', Nyusi told the delegation.

However, according to recent reports from Cabo Delgado, the residents of Macomia district have been warning of an increased number of displaced people due to intense clashes between the Mozambican forces and the terrorists in Mucojo forest.

"People are arriving at the district capital. The fire there, on the ground, is intense. The flow of people arriving started on Saturday', a source said, cited by the Portuguese News Agency Lusa.

Nyusi also informed the ICCF delegation that the country is facing economic difficulties "but there is work being carried out by the government in order to overcome them.'

"I can say that we are working on providing more water with the support of our friends. We are securing more energy, we are very advanced and almost 63 per cent of the population is covered', he said.

Turning to the presidential, parliamentary and provincial elections scheduled for 9 October, the President said that "we are already preparing and, on Saturday, the political parties will start the election campaign. Let's hope that everything goes well and in an atmosphere of peace, tranquility and celebration.'