Mozambique's government and private sector have expressed their intention to strengthen coordination in disaster preparedness and response, through mechanisms that would allow the faster mobilisation of companies' logistical capacities, infrastructure, technologies, and resources before and during emergency situations.
The intention was articulated during a seminar held on the sidelines of the Maputo International Trade Fair (FACIM 2026), which brought together representatives from the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique (CTA), and the Port of Maputo.
Discussions centred on the need to establish permanent cooperation mechanisms between the state, humanitarian organisations, and businesses, given the country's exposure to cyclones, floods, droughts, conflict, and other emergencies. Preparedness takes on particular urgency in light of the projected impacts of the El Niño phenomenon in 2026 and 2027 and the approach of the next cyclone season.
Earlier this year, flooding affected more than 700,000 people in Mozambique, causing damage to homes, schools, health facilities, roads, water supply systems, and agriculture-related livelihoods. During the seminar, participants argued that the private sector's contribution to disaster response should not be limited to financial support. Companies can place their distribution networks, transport and storage capacity, technologies, market knowledge, and technical expertise at the service of emergency operations.
Among the areas identified for greater collaboration are the dissemination of early warnings, the transport of humanitarian assistance, product storage, local procurement of goods, supply chain management, the recovery of essential infrastructure, the provision of professional services, and the use of digital solutions in disaster management. The Port of Maputo highlighted, for example, the possibility of establishing mechanisms to prioritise the movement of humanitarian goods before and during crisis periods, as well as improving communication channels between the entities involved.
One of the proposals to emerge from the meeting is the creation of a national mapping of existing private sector capacities, enabling authorities to know in advance which companies have transport, storage, logistics, technology, or other resources required in emergency situations. Participants also discussed the possibility of establishing mechanisms for the pre-positioning of emergency stocks ahead of cyclone and rainy seasons, reducing the time needed to deliver assistance to affected populations.
Participants further argued that the responsibilities of each entity should be defined before disasters occur, avoiding a situation where coordination between the government, businesses, and humanitarian partners only begins after an emergency has struck. FAO, UNICEF, and WFP expressed their readiness to continue supporting government-led efforts in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, as well as in building more structured links with the private sector.
The seminar closed with a call for Mozambique to move away from ad hoc corporate contributions — typically mobilised after a disaster has already occurred — towards pre-planned and permanent partnerships capable of accelerating emergency response and strengthening community resilience.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/09/04/negocios/empresas/facim-2026-governo-e-sector-privado-querem-reforcar-resposta-a-desastres-varios/
