Lisbon, April 20, 2026 (Lusa) – Mozambique's president requested support from Chinese companies to rehabilitate National Highway One (EN1), the country's main road, and to progress with the Mapai dam. He cited damage caused by rainfall and the urgent need for water management.

"In the area of roads, national highway number one, which is the main road in Mozambique (...) is one of our great concerns, and we believe the company has a great capacity (...) to build this road as it should be," said Daniel Chapo. Media outlets quoted the president on Monday during his visit to a Chinese energy sector company.

The EN1 suffers recurring damage during the rainy season, particularly between January and March, due to intense precipitation and Mozambique's geographical location, according to the head of state. He therefore defended the need for structural and lasting solutions, including improved infrastructure quality and strengthened cooperation with international partners possessing technical expertise in the sector.

He highlighted the importance of investing in water resource management infrastructure, pointing to the Mapai dam in northern Gaza province, along the Limpopo River, as a strategic project for flood control.

"We have a dam that, if built, would be very good for water control (...) and we believe the company has the capacity to conduct a water control study and build dams in the right places," he said.

He expressed his impression of the Chinese firm’s technological capacity in solar, wind, and hydro energy. He advocated for increased cooperation to expand energy production in Mozambique. The Mozambican government intends to leverage Chinese experience to boost new power generation projects as part of the diversification of the national energy matrix, Chapo added.

Mozambique's president has been in Beijing since last week for a state visit. Mozambique and China are currently marking 50 years of diplomatic relations and seeking to deepen strategic cooperation.

EYMZ/RYOL // AYLS

Lusa