On 18 June, the validation workshop for the strategic study on the expansion of the Community Multimedia Centres (CMC) network and the Government Network (GovNet) was held in Maputo.
The event brought together around 90 participants representing government institutions, development partners, academic and research institutions, civil society organisations and the private sector.
Notable participants included Dr Fabio Strinati, Head of Office III – Opportunities and Economic Development at the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS); Maria Cristina Pescante, Deputy Head and Acting Head of the AICS Regional Office in Maputo; Igna Macule, Inspector General at the Ministry of Communications and Digital Transformation (MCTD); and Deborah Capela, Digitalisation Sector Manager at the Delegation of the European Union to Mozambique.
The workshop marked the final phase of the strategic study commissioned by AICS and implemented by the consulting firm NIRAS Mozambique, in close collaboration with the Delegation of the European Union to Mozambique and the MCTD.
The study is funded under the D4D Hub programme, a multi-stakeholder platform led by the European Union that operates under the Team Europe approach. The initiative promotes multi-sector partnerships and leverages investments to support a human-centric digital transformation, serving as a key instrument for achieving the digital ambitions of the Global Gateway strategy.
Covering five provinces and 17 districts across Mozambique, the study aimed to generate technical evidence, identify operational options and ensure the institutional validation required to support informed decision-making on the expansion of GovNet and the development of the CMC network.
This approach has enabled the creation of a robust and shared evidence base, essential for guiding future decisions by the Government of Mozambique regarding the expansion of GovNet and the strengthening of the Community Multimedia Centres network. These two pillars are fundamental to ensuring access to digital public services for rural populations, helping to reduce territorial inequalities and promote a more inclusive digital transformation.
During his remarks, Dr Fabio Strinati highlighted that: “All these initiatives demonstrate how the D4D Hub has become a concrete instrument for strengthening political dialogue, facilitating knowledge transfer and building lasting partnerships between Europe and partner countries. They also demonstrate the value of the Team Europe approach, which enables the coordinated mobilisation of the expertise, resources and operational capacities of Member States and European institutions.”
The study also represents a concrete example of this approach, based on listening, evidence gathering and collaboration between public and private stakeholders, with the aim of formulating realistic and action-oriented recommendations capable of supporting the Government of Mozambique in its strategic decision-making.
The evidence generated by the study will now help guide the expansion of GovNet to new districts, contributing to bridging the digital divide and promoting more equitable access to digital public services across the country.