Mozambique

The Government of Mozambique has declared poverty reduction their main priority. This has also been formulated in the country's poverty reduction strategy, PARP, which is now under revision. The main objective of this plan is to reduce the number of Mozambicans living in absolute poverty, and it forms the basis for Norway's development cooperation with Mozambique.

The Norwegian focus:

• Budget support
• Clean energy
• Fisheries

Between 80 and 85 per cent of Norway's bilateral aid goes to the three main focus areas. In addition, the focus is on promoting human rights, gender equality, good governance, reform of the justice system and public sector, and management of natural resources and government administration of revenues from natural resources. There is also considerable support for the development of cultural infrastructure, cultural exchange and preservation of cultural monuments.

Energy sector

Support for electrification in connection with social infrastructure and households will continue. Alternative sources of energy like solar energy, wind power and small scale hydropower will also be increasingly considered as a supplement to national electrification.

Norwegian efforts to make electricity available to villagers contributed to ensuring that more than 100 000 new customers were linked to the national power grid in 2008. Utilisation of hydropower and gas resources represents opportunities for significant future revenue and business development for Mozambique. Norway has particularly supported measures contributing to efficient and sustainable use of resources in order to promote social and economic growth. There has been ongoing institutional cooperation between the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate and the Norwegian Petroleum Institute and sister institutions in Mozambique since the 1970s, with activities related to both legislation and resource management. The cooperation includes technical assistance to the management of the country's hydropower and petroleum resources, as well as contributions to the development of a nationwide distribution network for electricity, which will also enable the development of new production facilities.

With assistance from Norway a regulatory framework has also been developed for the electricity and petroleum sectors, agreements have been entered into with foreign companies for development of gas and oil fields, and rural areas have been given access to electricity.

Norway has regionally taken on the role as leading donor and international coordinator of aid to the energy sector in southern Africa.

Fisheries

Fisheries account for at least three per cent of the country's gross domestic product. The figures are uncertain, but it is estimated that the annual catch is about 130 000 tonnes. 91 per cent coming from small-scale fishing – only seven per cent is from industrial fishing. At the same time industrial fishing represents 52 per cent of the total value and constitutes a large part of the country's export revenue. Small-scale fishing is an important source of employment and income for large population groups and an important source of protein for the poorest segment of the population.

Norwegian fishery cooperation with Mozambique has a long history.

Focus:

• Policy Fishery management
• Fishery research

Norway's cooperation with Mozambique in the fisheries sector includes combating illegal fishing, monitoring and inspection, small-scale fishing and aquaculture.

Norway's expertise in the field of fisheries and experience from Mozambique is significant, particularly through the cooperation with the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries and the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research in Bergen. Great importance is attributed to this cooperation by the local fisheries authorities, who regard Norway as a leading collaborating partner in the sector.

Gender equality

In Mozambique, the law against domestic violence was adopted by Parliament in 2009. Norwegian-supported women's organisations and the UN helped in the effort and had for many years worked systematically with Parliament to get the law passed. 2010 marked the ten-year anniversary for the passing of resolution 1325. The Norwegian Government stresses that development cooperation should be female oriented. The Government will prioritize women's right to health, education, political and economic participation and combating violence against women.

The 10th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security was used to raise the issue higher up on the international agenda and to create greater political will and commitment for promoting women's participation as well as ensuring that participants are increasingly held accountable for the implementation of SCR 1325. The women's rights issue will continue to be part of the Norwegian development assistance portfolio worldwide.