NDC, Government and FAO Representatives during the launch in Maputo

18 November, Maputo – The Government of Mozambique in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the African Union Commission and the NDC Partnership have announced a two-year project to continue supporting NDC Implementation and action in Mozambique.

The additional support that will be made available through the project, was highlighted at a workshop to mark the one year anniversary of the approval of the NDC Partnership Plan for Mozambique (2018- 2021). This Partnership Plan was put in place as a means to deliver on the country's commitments under the Paris Agreement by fast-tracking climate action in the Agriculture, Forestry and Land Use (AFOLU) sectors as envisioned in the 2020-2025 NDC Roadmap of Mozambique.

Speaking at the event, the FAO Representative in Mozambique, Coelho da Silva said that climate change had caused devastating impacts on livelihoods and ecosystems in Mozambique and that the NDC Roadmap was an effort by the government of Mozambique to achieve the much-needed transformation within key sectors.

"A plan is nothing if not implemented; it is only an intention for action. We need to put in time, effort and other resources to implement the document. I therefore urge development partners, private sector, other UN Agencies, civil society and other value chain actors to support the government in implementing the Plan," said da Silva. "The FAO will continue to work with the Government of Mozambique at all levels to ensure that the NDC Implementation Plan is successfully implemented."

Speaking on behalf of the Government, the General Inspector from the Ministry of Land, Environment and Rural Development (MITADER), Emília Fumo, expressed appreciation for the critical role of the NDC Partnership also pointing out the overwhelming support demonstrated by development partners.

"Our goal is to have 2020 as the milestone to start reporting on the Paris Agreement actions, with at least 80% of the activities in this plan being funded and implemented, so we expect more energy from our partners to achieve this goal," she said.

The Inspector General from MITADER added that the newly unveiled project was clear evidence of the strong commitment by development partners to support government efforts to minimize the impacts of climate change. The high-level launch event attracted over sixty stakeholders from the Ministries of Agriculture, Land, Environment and Rural Development and Finance & Planning. Also present were development partners, representatives of private sector, CSOs, NGOs, academic and research institutions.

The NDC Partnership was represented by Mr. Joaquim Leite, Senior Country Engagement Specialist, NDC Partnership Support Unit. Mr. Jeremy Schlickenrieder, Natural Resources Officer at the FAO Headquarters also participated in the event.

The project is funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations through its Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) and will promote joint learning and sharing of experiences among countries. The project will support African countries in the formulation and tracking of progress of their NDCs and Implementation Plans. Mozambique is one of the countries that will benefit from this project, along with Gabon, Cote d'Ivoire, Uganda and Sudan. The project will help the country deliver on its commitments under the Paris Agreement as reflected in its NDC.