On 9 September, the official launch of the CAMBIO Programme – Action for Climate and the Environment in Mozambique, integrated with the response plans of coastal cities took place in Pemba. The programme is funded by the Italian Cooperation with a total contribution of EUR 2 million.
The launch took place as part of the second Sistema Italia mission to Cabo Delgado Province, led by the Ambassador of Italy to Mozambique, Gabriele Annis, with the participation of the Head of the AICS Maputo Office, Dr Fabio Strinati, and the President of the Mozambique-Italy Chamber of Commerce, Dr Simone Santi. The mission aimed to further strengthen the presence and commitment of Sistema Italia in Cabo Delgado, promoting closer cooperation with local institutions, communities and the private sector.
The programme is implemented by a consortium of partners led by AVSI, in collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano, Lúrio University (UniLúrio), E35 – Foundation for International Projects, and the FACE Association, with the involvement of the Municipalities of Pemba, Ibo and Beira. CAMBIO’s main objective is to strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate change and natural disasters in the cities of Pemba and Beira and on Ibo Island, areas that are particularly exposed to the effects of extreme weather events.
The initiative will invest in prevention, climate-resilient urban planning, and strengthening the capacities of local institutions and communities. One of the programme’s key components will be the development of Urban Climate Resilience Plans, designed to support local authorities in identifying the main climate risks and defining concrete measures for prevention, adaptation and response.
Through this approach, CAMBIO aims to help make Mozambique’s coastal cities better prepared to respond to the impacts of climate change, while promoting sustainable and inclusive urban management. The initiative complements the ECOBLU project, also funded by the Italian Cooperation and launched during the first Sistema Italia mission in November 2025, which promotes the sustainable management of marine and coastal resources on Ibo Island and the creation of employment opportunities through the blue economy.
Ambassador Annis stated: “Cabo Delgado is an area of particular importance to Italy, where the presence of major Italian companies, such as Eni, goes hand in hand with the growing commitment of the Italian Cooperation to supporting the sustainable development of the Province. The launch of the CAMBIO Programme represents another concrete step in this commitment and in our determination to work side by side with local institutions and communities, helping to make the territory more resilient, sustainable and better equipped to address the challenges posed by climate change.”
The Head of the AICS Maputo Office, Fabio Strinati, highlighted: “Cabo Delgado is a strategic Province for the Italian Cooperation. The launch of CAMBIO further strengthens our commitment in this territory, alongside our support for sustainable fisheries and the blue economy through ECOBLU. With CAMBIO, we are now also strengthening our support to local communities and institutions in responding to the challenges posed by climate change.”
