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Following the October 2024 elections, Mozambique has faced significant instability characterized by alleged vote rigging and a violent state crackdown. The ruling Frelimo party has maintained power through the suppression of dissent, including the killing of opposition members and journalists, and the strategic appointment of 'secretaries of state' to bypass decentralization. This domestic crisis has disrupted critical regional trade corridors, specifically the Maputo and Beira ports, affecting landlocked neighbors like Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Zambia. The document argues that Frelimo's loss of legitimacy mirrors a broader trend across Southern Africa where former liberation movements are facing declining public support.

The report finds that Mozambique lacks a functional, dedicated regulatory framework for protecting traditional knowledge associated with biological resources, though it possesses a fragmented system of biodiversity, forestry, and intellectual property laws. While Decree 19/2007 serves as the primary instrument for access and benefit-sharing (ABS), its implementation has been hindered by resource constraints and a lack of political impetus. The document highlights a current review of this decree and the potential for a new traditional knowledge database to address existing gaps. It also identifies significant barriers to community-led protection, including high poverty levels, weak community institutions, and a widespread lack of legal awareness among local populations.

Mozambique is highly vulnerable to climate change, with projected increases in the frequency and intensity of cyclones, floods, and droughts. The report identifies agriculture, transport, and hydropower as the most critical economic sectors at risk. Agriculture faces significant threats to food security, particularly regarding maize yields, while transport infrastructure is hampered by a high proportion of unpaved roads. The energy sector is heavily dependent on hydropower from the Zambezi River Basin, which is projected to see declining runoff. Macroeconomically, Mozambique is exposed to risks from the global transition to a low-carbon economy due to its reliance on carbon-intensive exports like aluminium and coal. While the government has implemented policies such as Local Adaptation Plans and the National Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategy, it faces significant constraints in technical capacity and climate finance. The report recommends a transformative approach through Adaptation and Resilience Investment Platforms (ARIPs) to mobilize funding for infrastructure resilience and agricultural diversification.

The document examines the impacts of Cyclone Idai, Tropical Storm Chalane, and Cyclone Eloise on Mozambique, specifically the city of Beira. It analyzes the role of green and grey infrastructure in disaster mitigation, evaluates the 'Building Beira Back Better' (BBBB) strategy, and highlights the critical need for improved early warning systems and sustainable waste management to maintain urban drainage functionality.

The policy brief advocates for the adoption of marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) to protect vulnerable coastlines and livelihoods from climate change. It highlights the potential for 'soft' and 'hybrid' adaptation strategies in Southern and East Africa, while identifying barriers such as lack of political prioritisation, insufficient quantitative data for the private sector, and fragmented institutional governance. The author recommends mainstreaming EbA into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and national budgets, promoting innovative financing like blue bonds and blue carbon credits, and ensuring the active participation of coastal communities and women in project design.

The Msimbazi Basin in Dar es Salaam faces severe flood risks exacerbated by rapid urbanisation and climate change, with annual losses estimated at $47 million. To address this, the Tanzania Urban Resilience Programme (TURP) was established in 2016 to implement a holistic strategy involving risk identification, reduction, emergency preparedness, and a 'resilience academy'. A central component is the proposed Msimbazi Basin City Park, which employs a hybrid approach combining ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) with hard engineering to manage floodwaters while providing socio-economic and biodiversity benefits. The document highlights that the government secured $20 million by framing the project as 'urban planning, restructuring and resilience' rather than solely flood management, suggesting that cross-sectoral project packaging is essential for accessing diverse funding streams.

Mozambique possesses high agricultural potential but remains a net food importer due to low productivity and high climate vulnerability. The report identifies four primary areas for improvement: simplifying bureaucratic tax administration to reduce investment costs, developing public financial incentives and public-private partnerships (PPPs) to mitigate risk for farmers, prioritizing critical infrastructure in energy and irrigation, and enhancing revenue-sharing mechanisms to protect natural resources. It highlights that administrative delays and high interest rates (often over 20%) are more significant barriers than tax rates themselves. The document also emphasizes the need for better community consultation in PPPs and the implementation of a more transparent fiscal rule for sharing extractive industry royalties with local communities.

The report identifies Mozambique as highly vulnerable to climate change, particularly regarding agriculture, coastal areas, and disaster risk. It finds significant gaps in technical capacity, research funding, and the integration of CCD into university curricula. While some research exists at institutions like Eduardo Mondlane University, there is a lack of international publication and a need for transdisciplinary approaches to knowledge co-production.

JA! / Friends of the Earth Mozambique reports a decline in civil society space and an increase in human rights violations in 2013. The organization highlights ongoing struggles against land-grabbing by ProSavana and Wambao agriculture, the displacement of communities due to coal mining in Tete province, and opposition to REDD projects in Africa. The statement also denounces the government's crackdown on press freedom and critical opinion, specifically citing the criminal proceedings against academic Carlos Nuno Castel-Branco and media outlets Canal de Moçambique and Mediafax.

Amigos da Terra Mozambique / JA! reports a deterioration of human rights and civil liberties in Mozambique throughout 2013, highlighting land grabbing, environmental destruction, and government repression of dissent. The organization details its opposition to specific projects like ProSavana and REDD, while calling for social and environmental justice and the protection of freedom of expression.

The document examines the escalating tensions between the Frelimo government and Renamo in Mozambique, triggered by Renamo's 2009 electoral defeat and subsequent claims of fraud. It assesses whether Renamo's threats to return to civil war are credible, noting that while the party lacks the external support and youth it had during the 1975-1992 conflict, it remains capable of sabotaging key infrastructure. The brief highlights internal rifts within Renamo between 'bush' and 'city' factions and the rising influence of the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM). It also discusses the geopolitical concerns of SADC members, particularly Zimbabwe and Malawi, regarding the disruption of economic corridors, and recommends sincere political dialogue and regional mediation to ensure peaceful 2014 general elections.

The report examines the critical role of mangrove ecosystems in Mozambique, highlighting their value in carbon sequestration, coastal protection, and supporting fisheries. It identifies significant threats from urban growth, aquaculture, and the extractive boom in oil, gas, and mining. The author argues that Mozambique's current governance is fragmented across multiple ministries, leading to weak enforcement of environmental laws. The document advocates for the use of ecosystem valuation, Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs), and 'Blue Carbon' financing to incentivize conservation and reconcile economic growth with ecological sustainability.

Small-scale fisheries in Mozambique support approximately 280,000 fishers and are vital for rural food security, yet they face threats from overfishing, illegal practices, and external economic pressures. While the government has implemented co-management through Conselho Comunitário de Pesca (CCPs) and established a three-mile exclusive-use zone for small-scale fishers, these efforts are hindered by poor financial management of license and park fees. The sector is further pressured by top-down Marine Protected Area (MPA) management, which has created conflicts between fishers and tourism operators, and by high vulnerability to climate-induced droughts, cyclones, and flooding. The document recommends strengthening the role of CCPs in disaster risk preparedness, improving environmental impact assessment (EIA) monitoring, and enhancing cooperation between conservation authorities and fishing communities.

The report examines the socio-economic importance of small-scale fisheries in Mozambique, which support approximately 334,000 people. It analyzes the pressures on the sector, including internal issues like overfishing and illegal 'chicocota' netting, and external pressures from the expansion of coal and gas extractive industries, tourism-driven marine protected areas, and climate change. The document evaluates the effectiveness of co-management through Community Fisheries Councils (CCPs) and recommends improving financial transparency, community involvement in environmental impact assessments, and adaptive governance to enhance resilience against climate-related hazards.

The relationship between Mozambique and Malawi has historically been marked by distrust, peaking during the second term of Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika. However, since President Joyce Banda took office in April 2012, relations have warmed, leading to the revival of critical infrastructure projects like the Interconnector Project and the Nacala Development Corridor. The document argues that mutual economic interdependency, particularly Malawi's need for sea access and energy security, provides a foundation for sustained stability.

The document examines the rapid growth of the coal mining sector in Mozambique's Tete province, driven by investments from companies like Vale, Rio Tinto, and Jindal Steel. While these investments have spurred infrastructure development and some social projects, the brief highlights significant challenges, including poor transparency of mining contracts, a lack of skilled local labor, and the complexities of community relocation. It argues that for coal to drive genuine development, the Mozambican government must establish a stronger regulatory framework, ensure public accountability for extractive agreements, and better coordinate corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts with national development plans.

The document examines Mozambique's transition from a Marxist system to a market-oriented multiparty democracy following a civil war (1977–1992). It highlights the political dominance of Frelimo and the struggles of opposition parties like Renamo and MDM. The report details a heavy reliance on international aid, which compromises national sovereignty, and a fragile economy characterized by a massive informal sector and high urban unemployment. It concludes that the lack of a viable political alternative to Frelimo and persistent socio-economic stresses pose risks to national and regional stability.

The report analyzes the 2003 local elections in Mozambique within a history of civil strife and a transition from a one-party state to a bipolar political system dominated by Frelimo and Renamo. It highlights the limitations of these elections, as the majority rural population is excluded from local government voting. The author notes a cycle of 'democratisation, repatrimonialisation and destabilisation,' with current tensions marked by aggressive party politics and corruption. The document also discusses the impact of HIV/AIDS on regional demographics, suggesting that areas with lower infection rates, such as the north, may gain future political influence.

The report analyzes Mozambique's legal landscape regarding traditional knowledge (TK), highlighting a fragmented system where protection is often indirect. While the 2007 ABS Regulation (Decree No. 19/2007) is the primary tool for biodiversity-related TK, it faces implementation challenges and is currently under revision. Other frameworks, including the Industrial Property Code and Copyright Law, offer limited or specific protections like geographical indications. The document emphasizes the role of community participation in natural resource management and identifies poverty, weak community institutions, and lack of legal awareness as major barriers to effective TK protection.