Mozambique leads ambitious reconstruction in Cabo Delgado with youth-centered and sustainable approach

Mozambique is making significant strides toward the comprehensive recovery of Cabo Delgado province through the launch of the Resilient Investment Project for Socioeconomic Empowerment, Peace, and Security (RISE-PS) — a transformative national initiative that combines inclusion, economic development, and peacebuilding.

Valued at $28 million, the project — led by the Government of Mozambique — aims to directly benefit over 100,000 people and create 24,000 jobs, with a strong focus on youth and women’s empowerment. In doing so, Mozambique reaffirms its commitment to a development model that places its people at the center and responds with structural solutions to local challenges.

The initiative is supported by institutions such as the African Development Bank, which is contributing $17 million, alongside the UNDP, the Government of Germany, and private sector partners. This robust coalition reflects the trust placed in Mozambique’s vision and institutional capacity to lead transformative change.

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But the strategy goes far beyond physical reconstruction. At its core is the youth of Cabo Delgado — a population that has endured years of violence and displacement. Now, with new opportunities for vocational training, entrepreneurship, and decent employment, the country is restoring hope and laying the foundation for lasting peace.

Key interventions include the rehabilitation of 150 community infrastructures, including schools, health posts, markets, and water systems. These efforts will restore essential services while providing immediate employment to thousands of local residents. Mozambique is also investing in the potential of its youth. Over 9,200 people will be trained in market-relevant skills, while 2,000 youth- and women-led businesses will receive grants to restart operations affected by the conflict. An additional 5,400 microenterprises will be supported to strengthen and expand their activities.

One of the project’s flagship components is the creation of a climate-smart SME village in Afungi, designed to host 100 small and medium-sized enterprises with access to modern facilities including warehouses, workshops, and business incubators. The village will be developed by MozParks, Mozambique’s national developer of sustainable economic zones, which brings over two decades of experience in attracting investment and generating employment across the country. The government has also forged strategic partnerships with private sector giants such as TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil, who will offer over 1,000 youth internships with the goal of achieving a 70% employment placement rate after completion.

Project implementation — scheduled from September 2025 to August 2029 — will be coordinated by the Northern Integrated Development Agency (ADIN), whose institutional capacity is being strengthened to lead the transformation of northern Mozambique. Community participation will be central, with local populations directly involved in identifying priorities and shaping interventions to ensure solutions are tailored to their realities.

Mozambique is not only addressing its challenges head-on, but also emerging as a model for how national leadership, investment in human capital, and strategic partnerships can turn crisis into opportunity. “This project reflects our vision for inclusive, sustainable development focused on delivering tangible results for our people,” stated a government spokesperson.

Through RISE-PS, the country aligns its recovery strategy with the 2025–2044 National Development Plan, as well as continental and global agendas, including the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Improved security in the region and a sharp decline in the number of internally displaced persons — from over one million to 635,000 — signal that Mozambique is on the right path. Today, with vision, political will, and collaboration, the country opens a new chapter in Cabo Delgado — one of reconstruction, opportunity, and a shared future.