Advancing environmental governance in Mozambique

NCEA’s recent visit to Mozambique set the stage for impactful collaboration in the field of environmental and social governance in mining, agriculture, flood risk infrastructure and river basin planning, in 2026.

In late November and early December 2025, NCEA participated in a series of high-level meetings and workshops in Mozambique, reinforcing its commitment to support the Mozambican authorities in strengthening environmental governance.

A highlight of the visit was the MozWater workshop organized by IUCN in Maputo, where NCEA discussed integrating Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and territorial planning in river basin planning. MozWater is an integrated water management programme of the Dutch government implemented by IUCN. This concept was well received by stakeholders, prompting a follow-up working session in February 2026 to embed the approach into national river basin planning processes.

Another highlight was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NCEA and the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries (MAAP), witnessed by Mozambique’s Minister of MAAP Roberto Mito and Dutch Vice-Minister Pascalle Grotenhuis. This agreement aims to accelerate joint activities, including supporting MAAP in its effort to reduce water and soil pollution from mining activities, improving land-use planning, digitizing environmental licensing, and strengthening SEA as a legal instrument.

The visit also explored opportunities for SEA-driven development planning in the Beira corridor and initiated discussions on applying NCEA’s methodology to an EU-funded agricultural value chain program, that is being developed under the Sustainability Analysis programme. Additionally, NCEA engaged with civil society organizations to support training on SEA and ESIA implementation, fostering inclusive governance.

Field visits highlighted urgent challenges, such as mining-related water pollution in Manica province, underscoring the need for coordinated action across sectors.

These developments reflect NCEA’s ongoing efforts to promote integrated planning and environmental accountability in Mozambique, paving the way for impactful cooperation in 2026.