Mozambique is a country prone to climate related hazards, due to its geographical location.  Over the years, the Government with support from partners, has put in place programmes to prevent and mitigate the effect of these threats. To support these ongoing efforts, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) provided equipment to the Government through its strategic partner, the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC).

The provision of this equipment is part of a UNDP project on "Institutional Capacity Building of Government and Communities for Disaster Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change".

Speaking at a hand over ceremony in Maputo on February 21, 2019, UNDP Acting Resident Representative, Martim Faria e Maya said: “We believe that the equipment and tools we are delivering today will play a key role in strengthening INGC’s capacity to improve local assessment and analysis of the climatic risks to which the country is exposed to. As this equipment will provide INGC with the necessary technological capabilities to receive, process and interpret geo-spatial data, this, we believe, will translate into information that allows for timely decision making.”

INGC Director General, Augusta Maita thanked UNDP for this donation and also for the  long term support over the years. “Although Mozambique faces cyclical and intense floods, cyclones and drought we are happy to report that the number of deaths caused by these disasters has been falling year after year. The support and strategic partnership with UNDP and the wider humanitarian family has been crucial for the successful design and implementation of contingency emergency response plans which have saved lives”.

The equipment represents a total investment of at USD 250,000 and will increase data collection capacity in each of the 11 provinces, as well as improve the system of advance notice and flow of information between the local and central levels as well as the monitoring of Disaster Risk Reduction indicators. It will also enhance INCG capacity to produce maps, crucial for prevention and mitigation planning as well as timely response to disasters.  

UNDP is also investing in human resources development, taking advantage of the collaboration with the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UNSPIDER) to have INGC’s National Center for Emergency Operations (CENOE) technical staff benefiting from Geographic Information Systems (GIS) trainings since 2013.

Indeed, extreme climatic events with frequent occurrences of floods, cyclones and drought, these regularly cause major damage and set back economic growth in the disaster affected areas pushing entire communities to perpetuated poverty. 

To prevent and respond to disaster, the INGC with the assistance from the UN Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) supports the development and implementation of a National Contingency Plan which is anchored in the regional and national weather forecast. It focuses on strengthening coordination between humanitarian actors for emergency preparedness and response at national, provincial, district and community levels in the face of natural disasters, while upholding the rights of affected populations.

UNDP provides strategic support to the UN HCT through coordination efforts, expertise, and information management. It also leads the Early Recovery Cluster, which work includes restoring basic community services and ensuring that affected people have early access to livelihood opportunities.