The World Bank has approved a grant equivalent to US$250 million to improve mobility and accessibility in the Maputo Metropolitan Area (AMM), a region that includes the cities of Maputo and Matola, and the neighbouring districts of Boane and Marracuene.
According to a press release from the World Bank on 23 August, "the funds will be utilised to build the first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system and associated facilities in the Maputo Metropolitan Area, covering the cities of Maputo, Matola, and the town of Marracuene. They will also be used to rehabilitate streets and improve access to low-income neighbourhoods via road upgrades and improvements that enhance safe access, as well as to build non-motorised transport infrastructure. In addition, the IDA financing will help tackle mobility barriers for women and vulnerable groups. The whole program will extend to the district of Boane".
The statement quotes the Bank's director for Mozambique, Idah Pswarayi-Riddihough, expressing satisfaction that another milestone has been reached in improving people's lives. "This operation will ultimately contribute to expanding economic opportunities and social inclusion. A lack of access to jobs and services is a major constraint to urban economic productivity as it hinders the city's competitiveness and is a critical element of social exclusion underpinning urban poverty", said Riddihough.
The population of the AMM has grown rapidly and is expected to reach nearly four million by 2035, which poses an added challenge to mobility, according to the release.
"This operation will ultimately contribute to expanding economic opportunities and social inclusion. A lack of access to jobs and services is a major constraint to urban economic productivity as it hinders the city's competitiveness and is a critical element of social exclusion underpinning urban poverty", says the Bank's Senior Urban Transportation Specialist and project team leader Fatima Arroyo, quoted in the release.
"The AMM is now at a turning point to fulfil its potential as an engine for transformation of the country. We expect this operation will ultimately contribute to fostering changes in the way the city is growing from a congested, car-oriented city to a green, resilient, and people-oriented city, where walking and public transport are at the core of the metropolitan vision", added Arroyo.
The project will also support the institutional and regulatory strengthening of urban transport throughout Mozambique, as well as capacity building of public sector transport staff, and professionalisation of existing formal and informal public transport operators.
According to the release, the project has integrated innovative approaches to catalyse structural changes in the sector, including a focus on the digitalisation of the sector, integration of women and people in vulnerable situations, as well as the integration of private sector participation in a long-term program to formalise public transport.
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A second release announced that the bank has also approved a US$400 million grant to support a project called Safe Roads for Better Economic Integration in Mozambique. This project, says the release, aims to improve the connectivity, safety, and climate resilience of the road system, and develop social inclusion.
A total of 508 kilometres of selected priority sections of the main north-south highway (EN1) will benefit from rehabilitation.
These are the Metoro - Pemba section (94 kilometres) in the northern province of Cabo Delgado; Gorongosa - Caia Lot 1 (84 kilometres) Gorongosa - Caia Lot 2 (168 kilometres) and Inchope - Gorongosa (70 kilometres), all in the central province of Sofala.
The road rehabilitation includes the Chimuara-Nicoadala Lot 1 (88 kilometres) and Chimuara-Nicoadala Lot 2 (176 kilometres) sections in the central province of Zambezia.
Quoting Pswarayi-Riddihough, the release says that roads are vital for economic activity, growth, social inclusion, and poverty reduction.
"This operation is instrumental to revitalising Mozambique's North-South roads connectivity and thus integrating the fragile centre - northern provinces with the rest of the country by rehabilitating priority road sections of the N1 North-South corridor", added Riddihough.
Most of the project funds will be used in the design and rehabilitation of safer and more climate-resilient roads, which will include road improvements and maintenance.
