Through an initiative called “NOSSO TERRITÓRIO”, the Government is reviewing the legislation package on national territorial planning, with a view to adjusting it to the country's current context, characterized by the discovery and exploitation of natural resources, the emergence of new urban centers, rapid urbanization of towns and vulnerability socio-economic to natural disasters associated with climate change.
The legislative package under review includes the Territorial Planning Policy, approved through Resolution no. 18/2007, of 30 May; Law no. 19/2007 of 18 July, Spatial Planning Law, Decree no. 23/2008 that approves the Regulation of the Spatial Planning Law and Decree no. approves the Urban Land Regulation.
The process, budgeted at more than 1,886,500 (One million, eight hundred and eighty-six thousand and five hundred) US dollars, ends in October 2024 and foresees public consultation sessions as well as the sharing of information, through the website, with a view to to ensure greater citizen participation.
According to the Minister in charge, Ivete Maibaze, who led this Friday, in Maputo, the opening ceremony of the one-day seminar on the subject, these socio-economic transformations impose challenges on State institutions and other actors that could compromise the pace of national development if there is no urgent action.
“The current context requires the adoption of land management mechanisms, in order to respond to concerns about safeguarding the public interest, respect for the rights of communities and citizens, to ensure sustainable development of our country”.
The legislation in force, until now, has allowed the preparation of around 530 Territorial Planning Instruments, of which 254 have been approved, 61 ratified and 7 published in the Boletim da República.
This scenario requires the adoption of new measures to allow the Plans prepared and ratified to be published in the Boletim da República, thus becoming legally relevant instruments with mandatory compliance.
The leader highlighted that the country currently has the National Territorial Development Plan (PNDT), Special Territorial Planning Plan for the Zambezi Valley and Special Territorial Planning Plan for KaNyaka Island and part of the Matutuíne District.
The instruments in question, approved by the Assembly of the Republic, aim to prevent the risks of marginalization and unbalanced and unsustainable use of the territory and its resources, which often put national socio-economic development at risk.
He also explained that each of these documents contains an Action Plan, which ensures effective coordination and balance between territorial development policies and strategies at national, provincial, district and local levels.
In parallel with the review of territorial planning legislation, the review processes of other instruments relevant to the management of the sector are taking place, namely: Forest Law whose policy was approved in 2020, Land Law, whose Policy was approved in 2022, Policy on Environment as well as National Urban Policy.
It should be noted that the integration of the legislative packages under review substantially contribute to the protection of the environment, conservation of natural resources, prevention of land conflicts and mitigation of the effects of natural disasters associated with climate change, promotion of climate resilience and development socio-economic situation in the country.
Her Excellency Mrs. Ivete Maibaze, Minister of Land and Environment, opened the Seminar and was preceded by the Honorable Arch. Vicente Joaquim, Secretary of State for the City of Maputo, Arch. Vicente Joaquim; and Ms. Gayatri Singh, Co-TTL of the Project representing the World Bank, the entity financing the activity, through the Urban and Local Development Project (PDUL).
