U.S. Embassy
Avenida Kenneth Kaunda, 193
Caixa Postal, 783
Maputo
MOZAMBIQUE
PRESS RELEASE
U.S. Government partners with Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources on $90 million in water and sanitation programs
March 16, 2021 – The U.S. government and the Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources (MOPH-RH) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to coordinate the more than $90 million investment the United States currently provides to strengthen and expand access to basic water and sanitation services in Mozambique. Under this agreement, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry’s National Directorate of Water Services and Sanitation (DNAAS) will collaborate on strengthening water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) governance and financing, improving management of water resources, and increasing sustainable access to and use of safe drinking water and sanitation systems throughout Mozambique. As a result, more Mozambicans will have reliable access to safe water and sanitation systems that improve health, reduce extreme poverty, and make communities more resilient, especially after natural disasters such as a cyclone or drought.
The Government of Mozambique has committed to universal access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services by 2030. While progress has been made, only half of Mozambicans have access to clean water supply and 29 percent use basic sanitation facilities, particularly in rural communities. This reality contributes to high rates of waterborne diseases such as malaria and cholera as well as chronically high rates of malnutrition. Through this partnership, USAID will support the government efforts to provide more Mozambicans with safe, clean water and sanitation.
USAID Agriculture, Environment and Business Office Director Mary Hobbs represented the U.S. Embassy at the virtual signing ceremony. National Director of DNAAS Raúl Mutevuie represented the Government of Mozambique. “USAID’s goal is to ensure that individuals, communities, and nations have the water they need to be healthy, prosperous, and resilient,” Hobbs said. “In Mozambique, USAID aims to achieve this through programs that promote greater use and sustainable management of WASH services, particularly by women and girls, and in line with the strategies of the Government of Mozambique.”
USAID partners with the Government of Mozambique and other donors on various WASH activities including improving water and sanitation infrastructure in health facilities and rural communities and providing emergency WASH services after natural disasters and crises. USAID activities also promote private investment in the water sector through improved regulatory, legal, and financing structures, and develop and deliver training and messaging campaigns that improve WASH practices at the community and household levels.
Such programming represents a critical component of broader U.S. Government assistance in Mozambique, as access to safe drinking water is associated with improved health and improves the environment for broad-based economic growth. In close collaboration with the Government of Mozambique, the U.S. Government provides more than $500 million in annual assistance to improve the quality of education and healthcare, promote economic prosperity, and to support the overall development of the nation.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) leads the U.S. Government’s international development and disaster assistance through partnerships and investments that save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people emerge from humanitarian crises. For more information about USAID’s work to foster sustainable development and advance human dignity visit www.usaid.gov.
For more information about this press release, please contact the U.S. Embassy Maputo Press Office at MaputoPress@state.gov.
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