Maputo, July 16, 2026 (Lusa) - Mozambique and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have strengthened their cooperation to accelerate the Urban Sanitation Project in Chimoio, which is being financed by the banking group to the tune of $27 million (€23.5 million), the Government announced on Thursday.
The Mozambican Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources stated in a press release that the working meeting held on Wednesday between Minister Fernando Rafael, the AfDB representative and their respective teams aimed to coordinate efforts to speed up the implementation of urban sanitation projects in Chimoio, the capital of Manica province in the centre of the country.
In November 2023, the African Development Bank Group approved a $27 million (€23.5 million) grant to Mozambique under Pillar I of the Transition Support Mechanism, specifically to implement the Inclusive Urban Sanitation Project in Chimoio, Mozambique’s fifth-largest city, with a population of over 400,000.
According to the document, the meeting, which was also attended by the team from Águas de Moçambique, focused on “strengthening coordination between the public works sector and the AfDB”, with a view to accelerating the project’s components, as well as meeting the established targets and creating the conditions for progress on technical, administrative and public procurement processes.
“The project will enable the construction of essential sanitation infrastructure in the city of Chimoio, helping to improve access to safe sanitation, reduce the risk of waterborne diseases, strengthen public health and raise the quality of life for beneficiary families,” the document said.
As part of the same project, Mozambique's government said that feasibility studies and detailed designs will also be carried out for the rehabilitation and expansion of the water supply systems in Lichinga and Cuamba, towns in Niassa province in the north of the country, thereby laying the technical foundations for future “structural investments” capable of improving water security and the reliability of supply in these regions.
The project provides for the construction of various sanitation facilities, namely 76 kilometres of sewerage networks and junctions, two pumping stations and a nature-based wastewater treatment plant, including a sewage sludge treatment unit.
Also planned are 30 public toilet facilities, support for vulnerable members of the community with domestic sanitation facilities, and campaigns to promote hygiene and sanitation.
Under this project, technical assistance will also be provided to strengthen the capacity of the Chimoio local authority to manage facilities and deliver sustainable sanitation services, including small businesses and sanitation sector operators.
LCE/ADB // ADB.
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