Sustainable Mobility Week of the Maputo Metropolitan Area
UN-Habitat works in over 90 countries to promote transformative change in cities and human settlements through knowledge, policy advice, technical assistance and collaborative action.
Overview of the project
The Sustainable Mobility Week (SMW) is an annual event conceived in 2017 through the facilitation of UN-Habitat, with the aim of creating synergies between different actors with the willingness of developing initiatives and concrete actions to boost sustainable mobility in the Maputo Metropolitan Area. The themes tackled are sustainable urban and territorial planning, accessibility to public transport system and public spaces, active mobility and climate action and metropolitan governance.
Four editions of the SMW have already been carried out, which have had several activities in diverse formats. The first edition of SMW happened at the same time as the establishment of the Maputo Metropolitan Transportation Agency (AMT), contributing to the study and regulation of mobility services in line with the daily routes of the inhabitants of Greater Maputo, which go beyond the municipal borders.
Since then, subsequent editions of the SMW have accompanied the development of this scenario involving local government actors, academics, and cooperation partners, through debates, lectures, seminars, high-level conferences, and multilateral meetings. We also focus on carrying out activities to raise awareness of the general public and engage civil society through recreational activities in the public space, such as “bike marches” and “placemaking” activities.
The Sustainable Mobility Week aims at promoting sustainable mobility in Maputo Metropolitan Area.
implementation
project still in progress
- In 2018: participation of 7 partner organizations with a total of 8 events, including a seminar with around 80 participants and a placemaking event.
- In 2021: 24 partner organizations, 16 events, including a high-level seminar limited to 40 physical participants due to COVID-19 and a placemaking event that reached over 500 people in Maputo Municipality.
- According to the SMW reports, at least 1,000 people have been reached every SMW edition, among Maputo, Matola and Boane Municipality and Marracuene District. This means decision makers (including Mayors and Ministers) and citizens are benefitting from awareness campaigns and activities. And during the pandemic, from hygiene material distribution as well.
The SMW created the space to lunch, discuss, disseminate and validate public policies and tools, resulting in key local and national normative documents, such as:
- Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan for Greater Maputo (PMUS) 2020
- Guidelines and maps for Gender and Mobility 2021
- Revision of the Maputo Municipality’s position paper on cycling 2021
- Guidelines for Maputo Metropolitan Area Territorial Development 2020
Events within the SMW were part of international publications showcasing best practices including:
- The painting of 3D pedestrian crossings as temporary street intervention and bike marches with media impact
- Awareness raising initiatives for active mobility and public transport with activists, street plays, painting murals with local artists and citizens
At the moment, the Maputo Metropolitan Area Sustainable Mobility Week is mainly funded through the project “Promoting Climate Action through an Inclusive, Integrated and Sustainable Mobility System in the Maputo Metropolitan Area” implemented by UN-Habitat and financed by AECID through CoM SSA.
organisation
UN-Habitat works in over 90 countries to promote transformative change in cities and human settlements through knowledge, policy advice, technical assistance and collaborative action.
Since 2002, the Mozambique Country Office has been implementing projects aligned to the Government development partners and main global agendas priority areas, in the fields of disaster risk reduction, urban planning and resilience and housing. The work carried out translates into technical advisory and normative services, a broad array of publications, pilot construction projects (school, health posts, radio station and housing, etc.), slum upgrading projects, plan and policy development and training of governmental staff with strong community based and participatory approach with local communities.
in collaboration
During the years, we have also worked with many other organizations, that organized key events during the Sustainable Mobility Week:
- Spanish International Cooperation Agency (AECID)
- French Development Agency (AFD)
- AMEND
- MapeandoMeuBairro (#MMB)
- Mozambican Association for Victims of Road Accidents (AMVIRO)
- Mozambican Cyclist Federation (FMC)
Among others