On September 10, 2025, the Governor of Niassa Province, Elina Judite da Rosa Victor Massengele, visited the Mecula District and the Niassa Special Reserve (NSR) to strengthen cooperation between the Provincial Executive, the District Government, local communities, and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), a partner in the sustainable co-management of natural resources and the socioeconomic development of the NSR.
The visit was attended by members of the District Government, community leaders, religious representatives, civil society representatives, NSR Administration, as well as a senior delegation from the national and regional WCS office, led by Regional Director, Luthando Dziba. The presence of the local community reinforced the participatory nature of the meeting, marked by open dialogue and the consolidation of partnerships among the various stakeholders.
During the engagement, the Governor officially announced the resumption of WCS activities at NSR, after a temporary suspension, highlighting the organization’s work in preserving biodiversity and promoting sustainable development across the region.
As part of the occasion, an ambulance was delivered to the Mecula District Health Services, aiming to improve emergency response capacity in communities living within and surrounding the NSR. The vehicle was procured by WCS as part of the Northern Mozambique Rural Resilience Project (MozNorte), funded by the World Bank Group and channeled through the Foundation for Biodiversity Conservation (BIOFUND) and the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), as the Conservation Authority. The Governor emphasized that the ambulance should be used exclusively for transporting patients to health facilities, urging community leaders to prioritize collective needs and promote participatory and equitable resource management.
Speaking at the event, the WCS Regional Director reaffirmed the organization's commitment to supporting the Government of the Republic of Mozambique and local communities in the co-management of the NSR, as well as in joint efforts to improve community well-being, while he also introduced new members of the WCS technical team, who will work closely collaborate with NSR personnel and the Mecula District Government, contributing technical expertise to strengthen the reserve’s organizational structure and conservation efforts.