As environmental sustainability and natural resource management gain increasing relevance in global development, Mozambique is strengthening its participation in international projects with an investment of approximately US$44.9 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Created in 1991 to support global environmental management, the GEF aims to promote initiatives that combine conservation, sustainable development, and institutional strengthening, positioning Mozambique as a strategic partner in the region.
The announcement was recently made in Macaneta, Marracuene district, Maputo province, during the first day of a two-day seminar themed “Strengthening Oversight Capacity in GEF Projects for Greater Impact.”
The event brought together representatives from the government, the private sector, academia, and civil society, with the objective of creating a space for dialogue and collaboration to ensure that the fund's investments are applied efficiently and produce concrete results.
According to Eduardo Baixo, GEF's operational focal point in Mozambique, the creation of an advisory and evaluation committee is essential for the effective management of the funds. The committee will be responsible for supporting the preparation of opinions on proposals submitted to the GEF, ensuring that selected projects are aligned with national and international environmental priorities.
The GEF currently finances 183 developing countries and economies in transition, with 18 implementing agencies responsible for the design and execution of projects, including three national, six regional, and nine global agencies.
The fund functions as a financial mechanism for five international conventions: the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCDC), the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), and the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
During the seminar, participants also discussed ways to engage the private sector through fiscal and regulatory incentives, as well as strategies to create cooperation platforms among all stakeholders.
On the second day, discussions focused on the practical supervision of GEF projects in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Mozambique, analyzing concrete experiences and ways to maximize the social and environmental impact of the implemented initiatives.
(By Renaldo Manhice)
