A land of diverse cultures and spectacular scenery, Mozambique is changing radically in its approach toward water management. Moving through mounting pressure on its water resources, giant steps are being made to upgrade the infrastructure of these resources, increase access to clean water, and contribute to sustainable development. These efforts will not only uplift the living standard for the citizens but also open intriguing opportunities to investors. With the backing of international aid, progressive government policies, and collaborative projects, Mozambique is also coming to the fore as a destination for investing in water-related sectors.

At the very core of South Africa, Mozambique holds a story about resiliency and resourcefulness in water management. Picture the women and children—where many walked miles to fetch water—now having access to clean and safe water right in their communities, small villages that once lacked it. This transformation—aided by international support, government initiatives, and resilient local communities—presents investors with the unique opportunity to partake in the process of sustainable development and have an impact, measured in terms of people’s livelihoods, with very handsome returns.

USAID High Priority Country Plan

USAID has identified Mozambique to be in critical need of improved WASH. In response, the USAID five-year High Priority Country Plan will leverage up to $21 million from private sector funding in pursuit of increasing access to sustainable and impacting public health and economic development by improving WASH in Mozambique. USAID will engage the private sector, hence stimulating innovative solutions to be implemented in-country and bringing much-needed expertise and resources for the management of water requirements.

• Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Leveraging the strengths of both the public and private sectors, this initiative aims to develop efficient and scalable water management systems, facilitating the sharing of technical knowledge and financial resources.
• Innovative financing mechanisms: It will test financing models ranging from blended finance to impact investing that help attract private capital to reduce investment risks and raise returns.
• Capacity Building: The plan stresses that a sustainable WASH project will be achieved by building local capacity through training and support to establish an able workforce that can manage and maintain water infrastructure over the long term.

AguaNorte Program of the European Union

The AguaNorte program of the European Union has a focus on small towns, aiming at improving water infrastructures and providing a high-quality water supply. It thus helps Mozambique build a resilient and sustainable water management framework, working for the development of all.

• Infrastructure Development: The program operates on the construction and rehabilitation of water supply systems, including wells, boreholes, and distribution networks.
• Community Engagement: AguaNorte is focused on engaging communities in a meaningful way in developing and operating water projects that ensure residents’ solutions answer their needs.
• Sustainability Practices: The program includes sustainability-related activities such as water conservation and efficient usage of resources to ensure long-term sustainability of water systems.

Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)

CAADP for Mozambique has an investment target of US$4.5 billion by 2024 to meet the challenges of climate change and to ensure sustainable water availability. It increases agricultural productivity, ensures food security, and boosts economic growth—opening up huge opportunities to investors in the process.

• Irrigation Systems: Increase agricultural production through the development and rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructures to reduce dependence on rain-fed farming.
• Water Storage Facilities: Building of reservoirs and other water storage facilities makes the water available at times of dry periods, thus ensuring better management of the resources.
• Flood and Drought Management: This is a program on flood and drought mitigation, whereby he has ensured that communities and farmlands are safeguarded against such harsh weather conditions.

UNICEF’s Role in Water Points/WASH Facilities

UNICEF rehabilitates water points and upgrades WASH facilities in schools and health centers. The activities benefit more than 1.3 million people through increased access to Water Supply and Sanitation services. Through this investment into important infrastructure, UNICEF is contributing to a healthier environment—reducing waterborne diseases, improving the quality of life in general.

• School WASH Programs: The improvement of water and sanitation facilities in schools provides a safe, healthy learning environment, đẩy hygiene education for children in order to inculcate good practices.
• Upgrading Health Facilities: Providing access to safe, reliable water and adequate sanitation in health centers has much to do with the delivery of quality healthcare, reduction of nosocomial infections, and improvement in health outcomes.
• Community Water Points: Establishment and rehabilitation of community water points make clean water more accessible, especially in rural areas.

Strategy for Rural Sanitation in Mozambique

Together with UNICEF, the Rural Sanitation Strategy has been operationalized by the Government of Mozambique, wherein millions of people have gained access to basic sanitation, with hundreds of communities declared as open defecation-free. This boosts public health and hygiene, especially in the rural setting, increasing quality of life and making it more attractive to private investors in the WASH sector.

• Community-Led Total Sanitation: This is the process to trigger communities for collective action to improve sanitation and hygiene in an attitude driven by ownership and sustainability.
• Sanitation Marketing: Promotion of development and sale of affordable sanitation products and services stimulates private sector involvement, and meets the diversified needs of households.
• Behavior Change Communication: Behavior change can be mobilized through public awareness campaigns and education to foster good hygiene practices for lasting improvements.

Local initiatives, supported by international organizations, have been very successful in providing clean and safe water to remote villages. These initiatives basically transformed community health by reducing water-borne diseases and, therefore, proved to be a combined effort underpinning the reality that meaningful investment can be made in projects dealing with water management. The partnerships among the NGOs and local communities would ensure proper tailoring of the project towards regional needs; hence, they turn out to be effective and sustainable.

• Programs by WaterAid: WaterAid works directly with communities to invest in water and sanitation facilities, greatly improving health and livelihoods.
• Red Cross Efforts: IFRC supports projects in water and sanitation adaptation to natural disasters, focusing on strengthening resilience and recovery.
• Local NGOs: The local NGOs, Examples of which include the Mozambique Water and Sanitation Network, known as REDEMOZ, are major drivers of advocacy toward better water management at the local level and execute community-based projects, making them very valuable to investors.

Today, Mozambique is working actively for intensive efforts at improving its water management infrastructure. These present a new opportunistic frontier for potential investors. The initiatives for strategic purposes by the country, endorsed by international assistance, government policies, and collaborative projects, make a very conducive atmosphere for investment in this sector. These efforts at betterment will not only bring betterment out of life to the citizens of Mozambique but also put together opportunities for very profitable investment in a developing market with huge international support and growing infrastructure needs.

Investors targeting impactful investments with high returns should, therefore, take their time to consider Mozambique’s Water Management sector. With ongoing projects and huge investment plans in the near future, this country is poised to present varying opportunities for any willing party to participate in its journey toward sustainable development. Through participation in Mozambique’s water management initiatives, investors can help pave a brighter way forward for nations while attaining growth and development in this crucial sector.