A groundbreaking slum upgrading project in the Chamanculo C neighbourhood is a unique example of trilateral cooperation between the Governments of Brazil, Italy and the city of Maputo, supported by the Cities Alliance.
On 9 November 2011, the city of Maputo launched a groundbreaking slum upgrading project in the Chamanculo C neighbourhood.
The activity in Chamanculo C is a unique example of trilateral cooperation between the Governments of Brazil, Italy and the city of Maputo, supported by the Cities Alliance.
It is being undertaken within the framework of the Italian-Brazilian Triangular Cooperation Programme, part of an agreement between Italy and Brazil to carry out cooperation activities with third countries. The agreement prioritises the upgrading of degraded city neighbourhoods, and within this context Maputo was identified as a prime area for joint intervention.
A significant aspect of this trilateral cooperation is that Maputo will be able to draw on ten years of experience with integrated slum upgrading in Brazil. The Chamanculo C project is based on a highly successful approach developed in Bahia, Brazil, which the Cities Alliance has supported since 2001 and documented in the publication Alagados: The Story of Integrated Slum Upgrading in Bahia, Brazil.
Developed by the Italian NGO AVSI, local Brazilian partners and the World Bank, the Bahia approach combines social interventions – such as strengthening small community organisations, developing day care centres, and community forums – with the physical improvements typically associated with slum upgrading (roads, drainage, and housing, for example). At the heart of this approach is strong community participation from planning through implementation.
In Chamanculo C, the activity includes a series of studies and the development of project designs needed to regularise and upgrade the area. Specific activities aim to foster local development and undertake small-scale priority works.
At the launch of the Chamanculo C project, Maputo Mayor David Simango welcomed the trilateral cooperation with Brazil and Italy and the prospect that his city would undergo both social and physical upgrading.
The mayor noted that some resettlement would be needed as part of the upgrading process, but that it would be transparent. He stressed that any households that would be required to move will be relocated to an equal or better place within the neighbourhood and in accordance with the agreed-upon safeguards.
The Chamanculo C will serve as a pilot project for possible broader application within the city. It is also expected to provide the Municipality of Maputo with valuable input as it formulates a citywide slum upgrading strategy and contribute to the eventual development of a nationwide programme for Mozambican cities in cooperation with the National Association of Municipalities of Mozambique (ANAMM).
The project is funded by Italy, Brazil and the Cities Alliance, and will be implemented by the Municipality of Maputo.
The Cities Alliance in Mozambique
In addition to serving as a pioneering example of South-South cooperation, the Chamanculo C project is also the first activity of the Cities Alliance Country Programme in Mozambique.
The Cities Alliance has been active in Mozambique since 2002, awarding three full grants and five preparatory grants with a total value of $1,633,000. These grants have comprised a range of issues, including urban vulnerability, slum upgrading, city development strategies and State of the Cities Reports. They have also covered a wide geographic area, from the capital city of Maputo to the secondary cities of Chimoio, Chokwe, Tete, Quelimane, Vilankulo and Nampula.
These projects have successfully catalysed further activities and helped spur meaningful partnerships. Combined with the active involvement of Cities Alliance members, they have laid the foundation for a solid Country Programme in Mozambique.
