Following a successful pledging conference in June, in which donors committed support for reconstruction in the wake of the devasting cyclones Idai and Kenneth, the country is now defining priorities, for planning the medium and long reconstruction.
The city of Manica in central Mozambique, on June 8-9, hosted a forum in which over 100 participants, mostly local authorities, representing sectors such as education, health, agriculture, local development , public works and roads, among others, from cities and districts affected by cyclones; national and international experts on post-disaster reconstructions, came together to discuss the next phase.
UNDP Mozambique Country Office, along the European Union, the World Bank and the Africa Development Bank, are supporting this phase, the Disaster Recovery Formulation (DRF) which is anchored on the Build Back Better (BBB) principal.
“Build Back Better also means reducing communities’ vulnerability to future disasters and strengthening their resilience, said Alfredo Teixeira, UNDP Acting Resident Representative, on delivering his opening remarks.
Mr. Teixeira added that it is essential to apply the BBB principal to all sectors for effective post-disaster recovery: infrastructure reconstruction, education, energy, health, housing, transport, water and sanitation. “It also includes the recovery of communities' livelihoods in agriculture, commerce, employment, industry and public services, without neglecting the cross-cutting aspects of the environment, gender and governance”.
Francisco Pereira, Director of the post-Cyclone Idai and Kenneth Reconstruction Office called on the participants to think strategically so that the reconstruction can enhance cross-sector collaboration and resilience building.
Mr. Pereira recalled that the DRF builds on the Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) exercise, which successfully informed the pledging conference. “The purpose of the DRF is to prepare a guiding document and sequentially define the priorities already identified, coordination and funding mechanisms as well as the methods for monitoring and evaluating stakeholders,” he concluded.
Please see below a related video of the Cyclones Idai and Kenneth International Pledging conference held in the city of Beira in June.