   Please download the PEI Country fact sheet on Mozambique (PDF)
Basic facts of the PEI in Mozambique
- PEI I in Mozambique started in September 2005 and ended in March 2008. Total budget: USD 566,145
- The overall objective of the first phase was to strengthen environmental policy and management capacity at the national and local levels as a contribution to poverty alleviation and sustainable development.
- The Government of Mozambique (GoM), through the Ministry of Coordination of Environmental Affairs (MICOA) was responsible for the implementation and coordination of the project and the main national partners were: MICOA, the Ministry of Planning and Development (MPD), UNDP Mozambique and the NGO Centro Terra Viva;
- PEI II has just been singed and implementation is to begin soonest – May 2008. Total budget: UD$ 2,400,000. Project will run till May 2010.
- Overall focus is on the medium term needs as formulated in the PRSP II (PARPA II) with a focus on capacity building for sound environmental management at the local, district, and national level.
- PEI II is a joint GoM, UNDP Mozambique and UNEP Project.
The context of mainstreaming of environment in Mozambique
- Mozambique’s second PRSP, the National Action Plan for the Reduction of Absolute Poverty (PARPA II), was completed in 2006 and covers the period 2006-2009. Environment is a crosscutting issue;
- In 2003 a civil society group supported by UNDP and other partners completed Agenda 2025, a strategic exercise reflecting over the future of Mozambique. Agenda 2025 includes a chapter on rural development as well as a chapter on environment, urban development and quality of life;
- In 2005 Mozambique published a national report on the Millennium Development Goals that highlighted the limited progress towards achievement of MDG 7. The Government of Mozambique envisages that the use of natural resources has to fulfil the basic needs of the people and development of the nation in equilibrium with economic growth, technology development, environmental protection and social equity;
- Mozambique does not have a separate MDG implementation plan but considers PARPA II to be the country’s MDG implementation plan;
- Every year the Government prepares an Economic and Social Plan (PES) to guide the implementation of the PARPA. PEI in Mozambique aims to build capacity of Government, national, provincial and district level, to integrate environment in the development of the PES;
- Mozambique is one of the eight ‘One UN pilots’. The ‘UNDAF- Plus’ has incorporated country programme output on mainstreaming of environment in development planning.
Main activities of the PEI
- MICOA has coordinated the work of the PARPA reflection group. This group defined sectoral needs to address the environmental issues within PARPA and the Strategic Development Plans at Provincial Level. The reflection group includes Civil Society, Government, donors and private sector;
- Indicators have been developed and used by MPD as input for the indicators that will monitor progress of the environmental goals of PARPA II;
- A study that outlines relevant policies, projects, institutional arrangements related to poverty and environment and describing the importance of ecosystem services for human well-being in Mozambique has been prepared (study available upon request);
- MICOA, MPD and UNDP have developed criteria and a scoring system for demonstration projects, highlighting the importance of the environment for human well-being at the local level. A number of proposals have been positively reviewed by UNDP, MICOA and MPD. Four projects have received financial support;
- Several media workshops have been undertaken. Purpose of the workshops was to increase journalists’ knowledge on the linkages between poverty and environment, to discuss with them the role of the media in the raising of awareness on these issues and to come with ideas on how the media can be used to strengthen general awareness on the links between poverty and environment;
- Capacity-building on the links between poverty and environment and on the mainstreaming of environment into PARPA-implementation at the provincial level is an important component of the project. To that effect, capacity building workshops for provincial and district level Government and CSO representatives are being organized by a team of MICOA, MPD and Centro Terra Viva. Workshops have been held in six provinces. MPD is taking the lead in preparation of training materials for use at the provincial and district level;
- Formulation process of PEI II, consultations as several levels with many involved parties.
What has been achieved to date?
- The so-called “reflection group” has been successful in bringing together all actors with an interest in mainstreaming environment in PARPA II;
- Capacity building workshops have been held in Inhambane, Nampula, Zambezia, Sofala, Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Tete and Maputo and a common understanding of environmental aspects to be included in their PES has been developed.
- Indicators developed with support of PEI will help to monitor progress on the environmental targets of PARPA II;
- Training of schools teachers have been undertaken to raise their awareness on poverty and environment linkages;
- A greater level of coordination between the relevant institutions involved in environmental mainstreaming.
- Publication of two documents: Best Practices and Manual for Planners
- Signed PEI II project document for Mozambique.
Lessons learned
- The “Reflection Group” focused specifically on the integration of environment in the PARPA II. After the completion of PARPA II the “reflection group” lost momentum. The group is also seen as running the risk of being driven too much by MICOA, there’s no real ownership of other members;
- Need for improved coordination and communication within Government institutions, especially MICOA;
- Important to mix policy level activities with concrete activities (media, demonstration projects).
Key documents for PEI Mozambique
Way forward
- Provide additional support to and capacity building of the Government of Mozambique on environment and development;
- Continue support to the implementation of PARPA II in environment related activities at both national, provincial and district level;
- Building capacity of local government authorities to integrate environment into district development plans, including support for communities to implement projects promoting environmental sustainability and poverty reduction;
- Evaluate specific activities undertaken under PEI I to ensure outputs are incorporated in implementing PEI II;
- Start implementation of PEI II: recruitment of staff, equip office and initiate first activities.
|
