National Urbanisation Policy discussed at a meeting led by the Mozambique President

Quelimane, Mozambique 23 May 2023-- President of the Republic of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi last week led his countrymen in a consultation on National Urbanisation Policy. 

This event took place at a time when the Government of Mozambique, with the leadership of the Ministry of State Administration and Public Works (MAEFP) and through the technical support of the UN-Habitat is in the process of drafting its National Urbanisation Policy (NUP), whose strategic lines and vision are being drawn up, in an exercise of reflection and participative action by various actors operating in the urban environment.  

In Mozambique, accelerated urbanization coupled with poor urban planning is leading to an increase in settlements that face unprecedented and growing environmental, economic, and social challenges as climate emergencies become more severe. There are estimates by the World Bank that the urban population has increased from about 1 million at the time of the country's independence in 1975 to about 11 million by 2020.  The urbanisation process is driven by the search for economic opportunities in cities, with secondary cities and metropolitan areas urbanising the fastest, but also due to natural disasters and conflict-induced displacement. 

The event was attended by members of the Government at various levels, representatives of municipal bodies, community leaders, and cooperation partners. 

"The XII National Meeting of Municipalities is held under the slogan: Urbanisation, a Priority for Sustainable Municipal Development.  It is a motto that carries many messages because one of the activities included in the Government's Five Year Programme 2020-2024 is the drafting of the National Urbanisation Policy to meet the challenges of the continuous growth of urban areas," President Nyusi said.  

The elaboration of the Policy is in its diagnostic phase and the XII National Meeting of Municipalities served as a National Platform for reflection and work around the main issues to be discussed in order to feed the diagnosis and the Policy chapters on municipalisation, decentralisation, municipal finance, service provision, climate resilience, among other issues. 

"With the accelerated growth of urban areas, it is clear that there will be a need to adapt our way of living to the dynamics of urban life"  President Nyusi further added. 

As a result, the consultations collected sensitivities, ideas, and opinions of the various participants of the 12th National Meeting of Municipalities. 

Ana Camoana, Minister of State Administration and Public Service, highlighted in her closing speech the need to move forward with good practices and experiences to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, encouraging participants to take bold steps now. 

She stressed that: "a sound analysis of the territory in its Environmental, social and economic dimensions is the first step to develop a solid policy framework needed for the kind of evidence-based decision making for urban planners and managers to design and implement effective and efficient policies and strategies.”