AfDB and UNDP Join Mozambique in Launching Flagship Project to Support Post‑Conflict Recovery and Economic Empowerment

March 6, 2026

Maputo, Mozambique – The Government of Mozambique, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today launched the Resilient Investment for Socio‑Economic Empowerment, Peace and Security (RISE‑PS) Project—an integrated, multi‑partner effort designed to stimulate inclusive economic growth, restore livelihoods, and strengthen peace and resilience across conflict‑affected districts of Cabo Delgado.

Speaking at the ceremony, His Excellency Salim Cripton Valá, Minister of Planning and Development, said

“The process of economic recovery and consolidation of stability that we are pursuing requires not only strategic vision and national commitment, but also strong and long‑term international partnerships. In this context, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the African Development Bank and UNDP for their continued support and the strategic partnership they have been developing with the Government of Mozambique.

The RISE‑PS project we are launching today is a direct result of this cooperation and, at the same time, a shared commitment for the next four years. During this period, the Government, the African Development Bank and UNDP will work together in the implementation of this initiative, jointly striving to achieve tangible results that will transform the lives of the communities involved. Four years from now, we hope to look back on this project and confidently affirm that, through this partnership between the Government of Mozambique, the African Development Bank and UNDP, we have generated new economic opportunities, strengthened local entrepreneurship, and contributed to laying the foundations for lasting peace and shared development.”

The project is financed through a blended investment package totaling USD 28 million, comprising USD 17 million from the African Development Bank through its Transition Support Facility, USD 4.2 million from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), USD 2.4 million from the Government of Germany, USD 3.1 million in parallel financing from private‑sector partners, and USD 1.3 million as a counterpart contribution from the Government of Mozambique. This diversified financing structure reflects a strong coalition of commitment and shared responsibility among national and international partners in advancing recovery and long‑term resilience in Cabo Delgado.

This financing model reflects a strong and unified commitment across government, international partners, and private‑sector actors to accelerate Cabo Delgado’s recovery and safeguard its future stability.

Implemented by UNDP in close partnership with the Northern Integrated Development Agency (ADIN), RISE‑PS supports Mozambique’s transition from stabilization to long‑term, inclusive development by expanding community infrastructure, strengthening local markets, empowering micro‑enterprises, and reinforcing accountable institutions.

The launch builds on key developments within the RISE‑PS portfolio, including a USD 6 million UNDP–MozParks agreement to expand youth employment pathways and catalyze private‑sector growth. The partnership will:

Establish 108 private‑sector partnerships for structured youth internships
Provide industry‑aligned technical and soft‑skills training
Support the installation of a climate‑smart SME Village in Afungi
Attract up to 100 MSMEs to new industrial and serviced facilities

The project’s direct beneficiaries include approximately 24,000 youth (50% women), over 3,000 female-headed households, and more than 7,300 local enterprises, while indirect benefits will accrue to the broader population of Cabo Delgado (2.74 million) and the wider Northern region (11.6 million), through improved access to infrastructure, employment, skills, and investment opportunities.

The project is anchored on four strategic pillars:

Rehabilitation of socio‑economic infrastructure through community‑led processes
Youth skills development, entrepreneurship and employment pathways
Private‑sector growth and expanded market access, including MSME development
Institutional strengthening and peace‑positive governance

Speaking during the launch, Mr. Rômulo Cunha Corrêa, Country Manager of the AfDB Mozambique Office, emphasized that "The RISE-PS project is a timely and transformative intervention designed to address the complex drivers of fragility in Northern Mozambique. By focusing on institutional capacity, resilient societies, and private investment, we are supporting economic recovery and giving approximately 24,000 young people and women a reason to believe in their future."

UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Edo Stork highlighted that RISE‑PS represents a strategic progression from immediate stabilization toward sustainable, locally driven development.

“UNDP is proud to support RISE‑PS as a programme that strengthens local resilience, expands economic opportunities, and ensures that peacebuilding underpins development. Our partnerships with ADIN, AfDB and MozParks reflect our shared commitment to placing youth and women at the centre of Mozambique’s recovery and transformation.”

RISE‑PS integrates a strong gender‑responsive component aligned with UNDP’s Gender Equality Strategy. This includes: Targeted vocational and technical training for women; Dedicated grants for women‑led enterprises; Support for women’s participation in priority value chains; Women’s leadership roles in community development and decision‑making structures.

The programme specifically prioritizes young women in districts where gendered impacts of conflict remain most severe.

Ahead of the launch, ADIN, UNDP and AfDB convened a three‑day Technical Induction Workshop at the Ministry of Planning and Development. The workshop aligned partners on governance structures, environmental and social safeguards, procurement standards, monitoring and evaluation systems, and risk‑management protocols. These preparations ensure that RISE‑PS enters implementation with coordinated systems, shared operational clarity, and a strong foundation for accountability.

Over the coming years, RISE‑PS is expected to make a transformative contribution to Cabo Delgado’s recovery. By rebuilding critical infrastructure, expanding economic opportunities, and strengthening the capacity of local institutions, the project aims to:

Reinvigorate local economies through inclusive enterprise development
Equip thousands of young people with market‑relevant skills and employment pathways
Increase women’s economic agency and leadership
Strengthen social cohesion and deepen community resilience
Create conditions for lasting stability and renewed confidence in the region’s future

The RISE‑PS project is fully aligned with Mozambique’s National Development Strategy (2025–2044) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, reinforcing national and regional ambitions for inclusive growth, peaceful societies, and resilient communities. The initiative directly advances the Sustainable Development Goals—notably SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)—by expanding livelihood opportunities, strengthening human capital, promoting women’s economic empowerment, and fostering equitable access to skills and employment.

This alignment reflects UNDP’s longstanding commitment to supporting Mozambique’s development priorities and its role in accompanying the Government and partners in building the foundations for sustainable peace, inclusive economic transformation, and community resilience. Through RISE‑PS, UNDP continues to leverage its technical expertise, field presence, and convening capacity to ensure that national aspirations translate into tangible improvements in the lives of women, youth, and conflict‑affected populations across Cabo Delgado.

As these investments take root, RISE‑PS is poised to support a generation of young Mozambicans with the tools, opportunities and networks necessary to shape a more peaceful, resilient, and prosperous Cabo Delgado—laying foundations that will endure long beyond the project’s lifecycle.