On 28 March 2025, Government officials, development partners, the private sector and civil society convened in Maputo to officially launch a €18,4 Million support from the Mitigation Action Facility’s to the ValoRe Program, Mozambique’s flagship initiative for sustainable waste management. Far from being just another milestone, this moment set the stage for a new era in addressing one of the country’s most pressing environmental challenges. 

A Bold Solution to a Growing Challenge 

Mozambique faces the daunting task of managing over four million tons of municipal solid waste each year, much of it ending up in open dumpsites. Statistics say only 30% of it is collected and a mere 1% recycled. 

According to the speech of the State Secretary of Land and Environment, H.E. Gustavo Dgedge, who officially launched the Mitigation Action Facility Support for ValoRe,  “a strong urban growth, combined with national economic development, constitutes a significant challenge for municipal areas that generate more than 2 million tonnes of solid urban waste every year, which could be an opportunity to promote investments associated with waste recovery”. To tackle this challenge, ValoRe programme has a transformative vision: to recognise waste as a valuable resource rather than a perpetual environmental and social liability. 

By blending robust policy measures and practical on-the-ground interventions, ValoRe aims to boost recycling rates, improve waste collection, and integrate new treatment technologies—benefiting both urban centers and surrounding communities. 

Yet, true transformation requires more than ambition. It needs investment, innovation, and broad-based partnerships. That’s where the Mitigation Action Facility stepped in, channeling financing and expertise to expand the program’s scope and impact, which will result in the construction and operation of 3 typical waste infrastructure projects: Landfill, Materials Recovery Facility and Composting Centre. The operation of these infrastructures will be based on public-private partnership models, giving the private sector the opportunity to operate with the technical supervision of the municipalities. 

The National Director of the Environment in the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries, Mrs. Guilhermina Amurane, referred to a long process that led to the approval of this funding, whose concept note was approved in 2018, and the detailed proposal approved in November 2023. During this process, the signature of the Ministerial Diploma of the Environmental Tax on Packaging (TAE) in November 2024 was crucial for the confirmation for the second phase of the Mitigation Action Facility support which will end in 2029. 

The Partnership Driving Change 

On the implementation side for the support sits a partnership between Enabel, the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries through its National Directorate of Environment, National Sustainable Development Fund and the National Association of Municipalities of Mozambique. During her remarks at the launch, Sandra Galbusera, Enabel’s Country Director spoke about the alignment of this program with the 2023–2029 bilateral cooperation framework between Mozambique and Belgium. According to her, ValoRe is not just about building better waste infrastructure, it’s about empowering communities, bringing dignity for waste collectors, and driving a shift towards a circular economy that benefits everyone. 

The Mitigation Action Facility support to ValoRe is based on the values of impactful changes, such as Inclusivity, considering that the ValoRe brings together government bodies, private sector, technical experts, and local communities under a shared-responsibility framework; Innovation, with tools like the Environmental Packaging Tax and results-based financing, which reward municipalities and partners for reducing, reusing, and recycling waste; Focus, considering the target municipalities—Nampula, Nacala, and Pemba— which will receive dedicated support for improving collection, segregation, and treatment systems.  

Speaking of results, until 2029, the program aims to sustainably treat 348,330 tonnes of waste, create 110 direct and additional 1,680 indirect jobs in waste infrastructures while benefiting at least 2,000 from the closure of the existent uncontrolled dumps and enable the improvement of technical capacities in the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries and the National Fund for Sustainable Development. 

Looking Ahead

More than statistics, each of these numbers represent a human story. For the thousands of informal waste collectors, ValoRe offers a promise of better working conditions and enhanced income opportunities.  

For families dealing with overflowing dumpsites, it represents a path to healthier living environments. And for businesses interested in recycling, ValoRe paves the way for new ventures that are both profitable and planet-friendly. The program’s financial window - co-financed by the Mitigation Action Facility - provides a platform for private-sector players and municipal authorities to co-develop long-term solutions.  

The event was more than a ceremonial launch. It was a collective affirmation that Mozambique stands at the forefront of tackling waste management in a sustainable, inclusive, and forward-looking way. This is about leaving no one behind. The best part? We are just getting started and very excited to share more about the results of this journey.