There are a variety of donors and NGOs providing technical and financial support to the marine landscape in Mozambique. In our review, we came across a multitude of donors and NGOs, typically only providing small and targeted assistance to Mozambique, for example on marine monitoring (e.g. turtles), or on undertaking specialized reports, such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF), UN Environment or the IUCN for development the NBSAP or other specific reports and participation in global forums. 




A multitude of bilateral donors also have provided or are providing targeted assistance in the sector, such as AFD for biodiversity offsets through the COMBO project. And a variety of regional including this current report. Previously, USAID financed the $20 million Coastal City Adaptation Project (2015-2018) that worked with five cities — Pemba, Quelimane, Nacala, Mocimboa da Praia, and Ilha de Moçambique — to promote municipal-led climate adaptation activities, including a mangrove reforestation cost-benefit analysis. Since 2008, USAID has invested over $17 million into the conservation and community development of Gorongosa National Park, which is matched 1:1 by the Greg Carr Foundation; the newly awarded $20 million Resilient Gorongosa GDA will expand this approach into the western Zambezi River delta and coastal region. 


USAID has also invested $15 million in the Niassa Special Reserve, which is co-managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and a follow-on $10 million ECOSMART-2 project is planned. USAID funded the Northern Arc Tourism Project, which ended in 2010, focused in and around Pemba.



The World Bank funds the Conservation Areas for Biodiversity and Development (MozBio Phase 2) project, which builds on the first phase of the project in providing support to Mozambique's network of national parks and reserves through strengthening management capacity and promoting nature-based tourism. The World Bank also funds the regional Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Program in the southwestern Indian Ocean “SWIOFish1”, which runs through 2021 and which supports the sustainable development of the region's fisheries sector by improving efficiency in the management of selected priority fisheries. 


The World Bank is also currently developing two new projects related to the blue economy and fisheries: (1) the Sustainable Rural Economy Program, a US $150 million activity that will be divided into Phases. Phase 1 is expected to be approved in March 2021 and provide $25 million to fisheries and blue economy activities in the an endowment of $37 million as of December 2019 and has been able to raise another $30 million as BIOFUND has gradually become an attractive option to channel financial resources to the protected areas by donors. Part of BIOFUNDS current strategic plan includes advancing marine conservation.


The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting conservation efforts. Its office in Mozambique was established in 2001. On the marine side, WWF supports conservation efforts for sea turtles (green, hawksbill, olive Ridley, loggerhead, leatherback), dugong, whale shark, whales (humpback and mink), dolphins (humpback, spinner, common, bottlenose), and corals. 


WWF have activities in the Primeiras and Segundas on fisheries management in Lake Niassa, in the Zambezi Delta, in the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park and the Quirimbas National Park (though, given the recent violent extremism, WWF is shifting operations out of the Quirimbas), and in the Sofala Bank (dealing with shrimp fishing).center and northern part of the country; (2) the second is a Northern Rural Resilience Project, a $100 million project focused on Nampula, Cabo Delgado and Niassa and which is expected to dedicate some of the funding to fisheries and blue economy activities, and which is expected to be approved in July 2021.



The Coastal Resilience to Climate Change project (CRCC) runs through 2021 and has a budget of USD $7 million from Sweden to improve the capacity of local people and authorities in coastal areas to work together in the sustainable management of natural resources. The program will prioritize intervention in the districts of Inhassoro, Dondo and Memba in the provinces of Inhambane, Sofala and Nampula. Sweden also supports RARE on small-scale fisheries projects throughout Mozambique.


Rare runs its Fish Forever program in Mozambique and works with village groups, community fisheries councils and district governments. Rare is helping establish marine tenure through managed access areas that provide fishing communities clear rights to fish in certain areas. 


Rare is also helping coastal fishing communities’ access financial and market opportunities and mobilize public and private investments in marine areas in Mozambique.

The Marine Megafauna Foundation (MMF) has been working in Mozambique for 20 years and has offices in Bazaruto, Vilanculos, San Sebastian, Tofo and Zavora and soon to be in Pomene as a main office. MMF has about US $1 million in funding for the next few years to conduct work on manta rays, whale sharks, bull sharks, leopard sharks, devil rays, smalleye stingrays, wedgefish, as well as minor programs for potato grouper, other rays, and marlin.



MMF.  MMF also supports the scientific research, identification and knowledge necessary to create MPAs, and to help design the management plans for MPAs. MMF has a number of youth marine awareness and appreciation programs in Mozambique.As we mentioned previously, we’ve encountered numerous donors and NGOs working to provide assistance in the marine space in Mozambique - either through regional programs, or through dedicated in-country teams and programs, such as Dolphin Encounters in Ponta, Friends of Vamizi, etc. NGOs may work directly through MPA co-managers, such as African Parks, or Peace Parks, and include the Waitt Foundation, Foundation Ensemble and a variety of others.