Sida's work in Mozambique
Sida's development cooperation in Mozambique supports environment and climate, human rights, economic development and peace. People are in great need of humanitarian support, mainly due to the conflict in the north of the country.
Why does Sida work in Mozambique?
Vulnerable to climate change
Mozambique is highly vulnerable to climate change and is subject to recurrent extreme weather events such as cyclones, droughts and floods. The extraction of non-renewable natural resources such as oil, gas and coal leads to overexploitation of ecosystems and affects biodiversity. At the same time, Mozambique’s economic development is dependent on extraction and the population relies on agriculture, fishing, forestry, tourism and energy for their livelihoods. Many people also still lack access to electricity.
Conflict and loss of democracy
The democratic space in Mozambique is shrinking. The violent conflict between armed terrorist groups and government troops in the north and climate crises have forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee within the country, led to food insecurity and increased gender-based violence. The population’s already limited resources are insufficient and humanitarian aid is underfunded. At the same time, the implementation of the peace agreement has been successful.
Economic empowerment
Despite increased economic growth, the cost of living is high and not enough new jobs are being created. The majority of Mozambique’s population works in small-scale agriculture and the vast majority do not produce enough for their own food consumption. The government prioritises the development of social security systems, but the budget is small and the vast majority of workers in the informal economy are not covered by the social security system.
Examples of what Sida contributes to
More people have access to electricity
Access to electricity is increasing, but some 17.5 million people in rural and urban areas still lack electricity. Grid connection is mostly concentrated in urban areas. Sida supports several programmes and projects that increase access to renewable energy, contribute to energy efficiency and promote private investment in renewable energy.
Peace process advances
Sida’s development cooperation has supported the implementation of the peace agreement in Mozambique. Through support to the UN Peace Secretariat, the signatories of the peace agreement have agreed and found solutions to ensure that disarmed former combatants have access to livelihoods, education and pensions. To achieve a long-term sustainable peace, important work remains to be done to achieve reconciliation between people, to reintegrate people into society and power needs to be moved closer to the population.
Social security is increasing
Sida, through the UN and the World Bank, contributes to the development of effective payment systems that reach more people living in poverty. For example, the system made it possible to pay more than 10,000 new child allowances in 2023 to carers in the country’s northern conflict-affected provinces.
Sida's work in Mozambique
Sida supports organisations in civil society and through the UN to improve the lives of people living in vulnerability and poverty. Development cooperation in Mozambique goes towards creating sustainable peace, climate and environment, democracy, increased respect for human rights, a rule of law that treats all people equally before the law, increased gender equality and economic development that benefits all people. Sida provides humanitarian support to save lives and alleviate suffering.
In the field of climate and environment, Sida supports civil society organisations, through the UN and the World Bank.
Here are some examples of programmes and projects that Sida supports:
Sweden contributes to Mozambique’s Energia Para Todos (Energy for All) programme, partly through the World Bank’s fund of the same name. By the end of 2023, more than 400,000 households had access to electricity through the fund. In Vilanculos, Sida’s support for electrification has improved household access to electricity, making it easier for people to start businesses.
The BRILHO programme increases access to energy for people and businesses through private sector capital. By the end of 2023, more than 2 million Mozambicans had gained access to modern off-grid energy services through the programme. More than 28,000 micro and small businesses have gained access to off-grid energy, 2,359 full-time jobs have been created and more than SEK 435 million has been mobilised.
Sida contributes to the conservation and strengthening of biodiversity in the country’s national parks and other protected areas through the Mozambican foundation Biofund. They work on land and forest management and utilisation.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is improving cooperation between fisheries and the environment. This empowers people living in poverty in coastal communities that depend on fishing. Poverty is reduced and people become more food and nutritionally secure and more resilient to crises.
It is important that the new land policy is duly supported by the population. Sida is supporting We Effect, which through the Forum of Non-Governmental organizations of Niassa (FONAGNI) is involving people to actively participate in the preparatory work for implementing the new land policy and land law. Improved land rights and agricultural practices have increased production and access to food.
Mozambique’s infrastructure needs to adapt to a changing climate with extreme weather. Sida is supporting the United Nations Capital Development Fund’s (UNCDF) LoCAL initiative, which develops and adapts to climate public facilities, in water management, health and education. The aim is also to develop rural production.
Sida works with civil society organisations and through the UN, for example, to increase respect for human rights, support democratic development, a justice sector that treats all people equally before the law and increased gender equality.
Here are two examples of programmes that Sida supports:
Many girls do not finish primary school, often because they are forced to marry or become pregnant. Sida is empowering women and girls through the Rapariga Biz and IPAS programmes, which offer safe abortions and various types of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, including access to safe consultation rooms and education for women and girls.
During the year, UNPFA contributed to mobile health clinics in the north of the country that strengthened the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of 37 494 women and girls and trained 118 260 girls, boys and men on SRHR and gender-based violence.
Here are some examples of programmes and projects that Sida supports to improve the lives of people living in poverty and be part of the country’s economic development.
70 per cent of those working are employed in agriculture, often on a small scale. Sida supports the Beira Triple Resilience programme, which is a collaboration with IFDC. The programme focuses on productive and resilient agriculture that increases people’s food security and creates productive employment with decent conditions.
Through the MozTrabalha programme implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO), people get employment with decent conditions. The programme supports the government in labour market-friendly budgeting processes for increased job creation.
It is difficult to run a business in Mozambique, which affects women to a greater extent. Sida is supporting several projects to improve the business environment and increase access to financial services, especially for women. One example is the support to Women in Business (WIN), which supports women-owned businesses to increase their income through better access to products, finance and services.
Sida supports workers’ organisations in responding to the government’s proposals. One of them received support to develop service centres to provide greater social security to people in the informal economy in poor areas of the capital of Maputo. For example, support is provided so that people can register their businesses with the authorities, access social security schemes and join trade unions. The work is a collaboration between authorities and other organisations in the country.
Here are some examples of programmes and projects that Sida supports to help the country’s peace process:
In cooperation with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Sida is supporting the Mocambique Peace Secretariat to implement the so-called Maputo Agreement for peace, reconciliation and disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of ex-combatants. The aim is to contribute to a peaceful future, free of military hostilities between the country’s government and the former guerrilla group Renamo.
Sida also cooperates with the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), which provides technical expertise in the peace process.
Sida has supported research through the country’s largest university Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) in Mozambique since 1978. Back then, there was almost no indigenous research at the university. Today, the majority of full-time academic staff are Mozambicans.
Despite this tremendous development, access to quality higher education and research remains a major challenge.
Sida supports the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) and its collaboration with Swedish and South African universities. The national research capacity is strengthened and improves Mozambique’s ability to plan, produce and use research for poverty reduction. Over the years, research capacity has been built and in 2023 and 2024, 100 Mozambicans are expected to graduate with a PhD under Sida’s support to research.
The focus is on research collaborations and postgraduate education, master’s programmes, improving the research environment and strengthening research leaders. The assistance also supports research and innovation projects through the National Research Fund (NRF) to build up the Department of Research and Innovation with a focus on environmental sustainability.
Sida’s humanitarian support provides people affected by violence, conflict and recurring climate crises with access to clean water, food, healthcare and shelter.
Sida works with international humanitarian and civil society organisations, prioritising the people most in need of support.
Sida’s humanitarian support saves lives and alleviates suffering.
- International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC’s website
- World Food Programme’s website
- Norwegian Refugee Council NRC’s website
- Save the Children’s website
Learn more about Sida’s analysis of the humanitarian crisis, Sida’s support and how much money is distributed to each organisation in Sida’s crisis analysis.
The strategy for Sweden’s development cooperation with Mozambique 2022–2026 is currently only available in Swedish.
Updated: July 7, 2025