Mozambique

In Mozambique, Switzerland is working to improve access to high-quality basic services and to develop the economy, employment and incomes. It supports local projects, mainly in the northern provinces of Cabo Delgado, Niassa and Nampula. At the national level, it engages in political dialogue in order to fight poverty and promote political and economic transition.

Map of Mozambique
© FDFA

Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2020, almost 64% of its population lived below the poverty line and the national budget was still largely dependent on foreign aid. About 80% of the population depends on small-scale farming, which is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. The consequences of the debt crisis in 2016, the two cyclones in 2019 and COVID-19, as well as armed conflicts in the north, pose further challenges to the country's development.

In order to effectively address these complex challenges, Switzerland's approach in Mozambique combines the instruments of development cooperation, humanitarian aid and peace policy. At the national level, Switzerland is committed to political dialogue and supports the government in its various institutional reforms. At the provincial and district level, it works with local communities, concentrating its aid in the north of the country.

The 2022–25 programme focuses on improving access to high-quality basic services and increasing employment and incomes. 

High-quality basic services

Institutions that guarantee services for everyone

Switzerland works to ensure access to basic services that meet the needs of the population. It supports local governments in their efforts to make budgeting and planning processes effective and inclusive, and encourages civil society to engage in dialogue with the authorities and to demand greater transparency and accountability.

In the areas of land rights and natural resource use and extraction, Switzerland strengthens collaboration between local government, civil society and the private sector. This encourages investment and allows the population to receive the legally prescribed share of the profits made in these areas.

The SDC is also strengthening the capacity of the Attorney General's Office to fight corruption and economic crime. In 2020, stolen heritage assets worth USD 95 million were recovered and returned.

As regards health services, over the past four years Swiss development and humanitarian interventions have provided approximately 90,000 people in the north of the country with new access to safe drinking water.

Good governance

Health – a prerequisite for development

Water – a vital resource under threat

Developing the economy, employment and incomes

Poverty reduction and inclusive economic growth

In order to absorb the country's growing young workforce, Switzerland focuses on the development of vocational skills adapted to market needs, particularly in areas that show promise for the future. It also supports small businesses in their efforts to strengthen value chains, in collaboration with the private sector, and promotes micro-financing. Thanks to Switzerland's contribution, over the past four years around 67,000 farmers (46% women) have benefited from improved access to market opportunities and have seen their incomes increase by a total of USD 18.5 million.

SECO complements the SDC's activities with technical advice to stimulate the national economy.

Private sector development and financial services

Transversal themes

Gender equality, good governance and strengthening civil society

Switzerland is committed to gender equality, integrating gender into each phase of its projects and through partnerships with organisations active and competent in the area of gender. In addition, all of its interventions take into account the principles of good governance, for example through policy dialogue. Switzerland's cooperation activities also help to strengthen civil society by fostering an environment that provides more space for expression and increased participation in institutional processes. 

Gender equality

Approach and partners

The 2022–25 programme is implemented by the SDC in close cooperation with SECO and the Peace and Human Rights Division.

Switzerland’s main partners in Mozambique include:

  • Swiss NGOs: Helvetas, Swisscontact, Solidar Suisse, Solidarmed, Terre des Hommes, Pestalozzi Foundation, etc.;
  • Ministries, provincial and district authorities;
  • Mozambican non-governmental and civil society organisations, e.g. Centro de Integridade Pública, Instituto de Estudios;
  • Multilateral partners: UNICEF, World Bank, WHO, UNFPA, UNDP;
  • International NGOs: e.g. Netherlands Development Organisation, Concern Universal;
  • Donor community (G19).

Current projects

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Futuro Microbank

15.05.2024 - 31.12.2027

The microfinance institution Futuro Mcb, SA currently provides financial services (loans, savings, insurance) to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) mainly in and around Nampula city. Switzerland will continue to support Futuro with a grant for technical assistance that will help the bank to expand its impact by providing financial services to more low-income entrepreneurs in more regions in Northern Mozambique, thus allowing them to enhance their income and create more jobs.


Swiss Emergency Response Team (SERT)

16.04.2024 - 31.12.2027

Several Swiss organizations active in Mozambique together with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) decided to join forces to be organized in a way, that we all together have fast and unbureaucratic access for doing the rapid needs assessment together and provide immediate response support where possible in Mozambique. Since 2021, the Swiss Emergency Response Team (SERT) organized several trainings in crisis management, rapid needs assessment and cash/voucher-based approaches for the staff members of the organizations. Doing the crisis management and rapid need assessment together creates synergy and complementarity among partners rather than each partner planning a response at the same place. A coordinated, locally led intervention will also yield the data necessary to justify an appeal to SDC’s emergency fund in time, should it be opportune.


Anti-corruption and Accountability

01.04.2024 - 31.12.2027

Building on the results achieved in the first phase, Switzerland will contribute to reduce corruption in Mozambique by (1) improving and strengthening legal institutions and the judicial framework (2) strengthening anticorruption institutions to effectively tackle corruption, economic crime and the recovery, management of stolen assets and (3) supporting civil society organisations at national and local level in the fight against corruption. 


Decentralisation for inclusive development

01.01.2024 - 31.12.2025

Mozambique implements the decentralization reform as agreed in the Maputo Peace Agreement brokered by Switzerland in 2018. Considering political power sharing highly relevant for the country’s stability, the programme supports the effective implementation of the decentralisation’s policies and reforms. The interventions aim to improve the quality of basic services delivered by local governments in Niassa and Nampula provinces, and to enhance accountability, transparency, inclusion and equity in the local decision-making processes through civic participation. 


Urban Durable Solutions Pemba Cabo Delgado

01.12.2023 - 30.11.2025

Through inclusive spatial planning analysis and the implementation of Urban Durable Solutions this program will upgrade the capacities of the city of Pemba to provide space and better living conditions for displaced and host communities, including improved access to basic services, infrastructures, and socio-economic opportunities. This project complements interventions in SDC’s portfolio in Mozambique to provide quality services. 


Culture Programme Mozambique

01.09.2023 - 31.08.2027

Switzerland will promote a more professional cultural sector and give emerging young artists the opportunity to improve their skills and expand their national and international networks. By working with 1 cultural centre in Maputo and 2 cultural institutions in the conflict-ridden province of Cabo Delgado, art and culture will also be used as a vector for social cohesion and peace, including the much-needed exchange between the south and north of Mozambique.


MOZ HA SI Nexus Water Supply System CD

01.06.2023 - 30.06.2025

To address the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Cabo Delgado Province in northern Mozambique, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) will support the provision and improvement of basic water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, more specifically the N’tamba Water Supply System Network (NWSSN) rehabilitation, ensuring resilient infrastructure for internally displaced and resident population.


Promoting Sustainable Agricultural Market Systems (PROMAS)

16.01.2023 - 31.12.2027

Agriculture is the main source of income for 70% of the population and is an important means to improve people’s livelihood. The sector suffers from low productivity and an unfavourable business environment. Thanks to better functioning markets and capacity building, smallholder farmers will improve their income and resilience through enhanced productivity, improved access to markets, climate adaptation, financial services and private sector development in northern Mozambique.


JPOs4UN Programme 2023-2028

01.01.2023 - 31.12.2028

The JPOs4UN programme aims at increasing the presence of Switzerland in the UN by augmenting the number of Swiss nationals working in SDC priority UN organizations. Switzerland directly funds partner humanitarian UN organizations to hire 11 Swiss young professionals on a three-year Junior Programme Officer contract; the Swiss foundation CINFO provides administrative support and career counselling. Swiss nationals add to a qualified and diverse UN workforce to implement the Agenda 2030.


Increase Cabo Delgado

01.11.2022 - 31.03.2025

Applying the triple nexus approach, the project aims at creating an enabling environment to build resilience, foster economic development and social cohesion among the conflict affected communities of Cabo Delgado province through the improvement of essential services (energy, water); support of economic development (capacity building, income generation); peacebuilding and conflict mitigation through social cohesion activities between internally displaced population and Host Communities. 


Mozambique Edu Oficina de Arte

01.09.2022 - 31.12.2024

Through this Education in Emergency (EiE) program, Switzerland will support remedial and catch up classes and trainings on inclusive education for vulnerable boys and girls in Cabo Delgado for them to catch up with gaps in their education path and benefit from a safe, protective and inclusive educational environment. Conflict and disaster risk reduction and prevention will be included to improve social cohesion.


Health Promotion in Cabo Delgado

01.07.2022 - 30.06.2026

Cabo Delgado province’s morbidity and mortality incidence due to water-related disease and malaria is among the highest in the world. The program which builds on the results of the previous two phases, will improve the health conditions of the target population in the project districts though the provision of integrated water, sanitation and hygiene services targeting approximately 1 million women and men in Cabo Delgado. This will contribute to reducing the morbidity and mortality of the population, especially children.

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