The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the main partner for decentralisation in Mozambique, is urging the government to reflect on the possibility of increasing funds for the functioning of local councils.
The UNDP believes that the government’s contribution is derisory and out of line with the challenges faced by local councils. These factors prevent them from meeting their targets and implementing concrete development programmes.
The challenge was made today in Maputo by the UNDP resident representative in Mozambique, Edo Stork, speaking on behalf of the decentralisation partners (UNDP, UNICEF, UN Habitat, UNCDF, UNWOMEN), during the opening of the 5th Congress of the National Association of Municipalities of Mozambique (ANAMM), a two-day event that brings together all the edis of the 65 Mozambican municipalities.
“There is a need for reflection on the allocation of funds to municipalities, because it is clear from PESOE 2024 that in terms of the distribution of territorial funds, the municipality continues to be the decentralised entity that receives the least,” said UNDP source Edo Stork.
The UNDP cites the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) 2023 report, which shows that the funds for the operation of the territories go to the province with 38.3 per cent, the district with 55.1 per cent and the municipalities at the bottom with 6.6 per cent.
“As a recommendation, I would like to emphasise that we undoubtedly believe that implementing the formula for allocating transfers to municipalities could help to combat territorial inequalities,” he said.
Edo Stork also urged the Ministry of State Administration and Civil Service (MAEFP) to reinforce the government’s intervention mechanisms in terms of the support needed to build the capacity of the 12 new municipalities recently created, as a way of ensuring a good start and the provision of quality services to citizens.
Stork also left recommendations for the partners to improve coordination in order to increase the impact of the programmes and avoid duplication of effort and investment.
“In the same way, we have to work towards a better territorial distribution, since we have observed that we too cause certain imbalances by promoting cooperation in some areas to the detriment of others,” he said.
The source showed his availability and willingness to continue collaborating and engaging in dialogue with the Mozambican government and ANAMM so that they can find a model that best suits the country’s needs and realities, always putting the citizen at the centre of all efforts.
Speaking on behalf of the government, Inocêncio Impissa, Deputy Minister of the MAEFP, recognised the difficulties that municipalities face in carrying out their functions, especially with regard to the scarcity of resources.
For this reason, he urged ANAMM to improve technical support for municipalities in order to improve revenue collection as a solution to the problems of budget shortfalls and participation in the country’s socio-economic development.
“We are pleased to note that the topics on the agenda at this congress are intended to discuss the role of municipalities in the country’s socio-economic development, as well as the future of the Association,” he said.
According to the deputy minister, despite the fact that the process of municipalisation underway is full of challenges, councils must make an effort to ensure that spatial planning and urban management are priority challenges for the sustainable development of municipalities.
“Understanding urbanisation, its causes, its dynamics and its impacts is essential for designing targeted, inclusive and forward-looking policies,” he stressed.
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