Africa-Press – Mozambique. Japan Government signs donation agreement to finance Sabo and Drainage Construction Project in Nacala and increases funding for Neonatal Unit Construction Project at Maputo Central Hospital
On 6 February 2026, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mozambique, a ceremony was held to sign two donation agreements in the form of Exchange of Notes. The event was attended by his excellency Hamada Keiji, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Japan to Mozambique, and her excellency Maria Manuela dos Santos Lucas, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Mozambique.
The ceremony also included the Director of the JICA Office, Mr Otsuka, and the Mayor of Nacala Porto, Faruk Nuro Momade, among other guests.
1. Sabo and Drainage Construction and Facilities Project in Nacala
Mozambique is located in a region frequently affected by cyclones, and in the city of Nacala, coastal damages caused by cyclones occur particularly often. To ensure a safe living environment for the citizens of Nacala and maintain economic activity in the city, strengthening landslide prevention has become an urgent matter.
This cooperation aims to reduce the impact of soil disasters and floods on economic infrastructure, including urban areas, main roads, and the port, through the construction of sediment containment dams, riverbed lining, sediment reservoirs, and drainage channels in two districts of Nacala (Moconhi and Triângulo basins), thereby contributing to sustainable economic development.
Japan announced, at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) held in August 2025, the launch of large-scale cooperation for the Nacala Corridor. This project will be implemented as part of that broader effort.
2. Neonatology Unit Construction Project at Maputo Central Hospital (Additional Donation)
Mozambique identifies human and social development as one of its priority areas for poverty reduction, with particular focus on improving the quality of and access to maternal and child health services. However, maternal and neonatal mortality rates in the country remain high compared with neighbouring countries and regions.
This cooperation aims to improve paediatric healthcare services at Maputo Central Hospital through the construction of a neonatal wing and the provision of related medical equipment, thus strengthening maternal and child health services in Mozambique.
The cooperation also adjusts the maximum value of the non-reimbursable grant, originally signed in September 2022 for 2.987 billion yen, to 3.240 billion yen due to insufficient resources caused by recent currency fluctuations and increased prices of inputs and medical equipment.
Japan declared, at TICAD 9 in August 2025, its commitment to promoting Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and strengthening health services, and this cooperation represents a concrete implementation of that commitment.
Source: Embaixada do Japão em Moçambique/在モザンビーク日本国大使館 – Press Release
