A high level team from UN-HABITAT headquarters last week visited Mozambique to review the agency’s programmes in that country. They also met former President Joachim Chissano, who last year was appointed UN-HABITAT Youth Ambassador as part of the Global Partnership Initiative for Urban Youth Development in Africa.  The mission, led by Mr. Daniel Biau, the Director of UN-HABITAT’s Regional Technical Cooperation Division, also held talks with the Minister of Housing and Public Works, Mr. Felicio Pedro Zacarias, Mr. Lucas Chomera Jeremias, the Minister of State Administration, and the Mayor of Maputo, Mr. Eneas da Conceicao Comiche.
Following a series of evictions of slum dwellers in neighbouring Zambia, Mr. Zacarias told the UN-HABITAT team that evicting people from informal settlements was not an option of the Mozambican Government. This policy validates UN-HABITAT’s efforts in its Global Campaign for Secure Tenure. In response to the recent floods and cyclones in Mozambique, UN-HABITAT is leading the shelter recovery programme and its role of bridging the gap between emergency response and recovery is also reflected in the flash appeal that was launched on 12 March. Currently, UN-HABITAT is implementing six projects in Mozambique focusing mainly on water and sanitation in Quelimane, Mafalala (Maputo), Beira and Dondo. The UN-HABITAT team also examined how best the agency could contribute to the “One UN” programme is aimed at greater cohesion whereby all UN work in a given country is coordinated under a single office. The “One UN” programme currently in its pilot phase, is being tested in a number of countries, including Mozambique. |
