Maputo, Mozambique, 12 April 2022 –Policymakers, national and international specialists, civil society organizations and partners attended the country’s second National Urban Forum to discuss how the upcoming urban policy can contribute to the sustainable development by fostering social and spatial equality.
Under the theme “Urbanization, a priority for Sustainable Development”, the Forum panels and discussions updated the political-institutional dialogue and consensus around key issues related to new urbanisation and demographic trends, governance and descentralisation, habitability, and climate resilience in order to define the main strategic lines of the National Urban Policy.
“This event should constitute a reflection moment for the elaboration of the National Urban Policy, which represents an essential milestone for urbanization to play a key role in the country's sustainable development process,” President Filipe Nyusi said in his opening remarks.
The National Urban Policy, he stressed, “will have legal, institutional, spatial and socio-economic implications that have the potential to influence the next generations of Government’s Five Year Programmes. It is our wish that, once formulated, the National Urban Policy will result in better urban management.”
Held between 31 March and 1 April, the Forum is the main platform organized at country level to engage different actors to discuss urban policy topics.
UN-Habitat support
“It is crucial to develop inter-sectoral policies with a long-term vision that promotes balanced territorial development, shared prosperity, and an efficient use of land and resources,” UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif said in a video message.
“This Second National Urban Forum constitutes a unique opportunity for Mozambique to put urbanization at the centre of its sustainable development process … I think this is a historical moment since this policy will define a vision, propose renewed institutional and legal mechanisms, as well as programmatic instruments linked to investments, so as to ensure a more sustainable urban future for all Mozambicans,” she added.
The Forum was organized by the Government of Mozambique, in partnership with the National Association of Municipalities of Mozambique (ANAMM), with the support of international cooperation partners, the academic sector (UEM) and was facilitated by UN-Habitat.
The Forum, which was closed by Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane, adopted a final resolution establishing the basic principles, as well as the way forward in the formulation of the National Urban Policy. The resolution, embraced by all stakeholders, will be presented to the Council of Ministers.