Humans of Partners for Water: Liria Francisco

With the Human series, we showcase the people who are involved in and benefit from the Partners for Water projects. The Human series sheds light on the stories of the people with whom and for whom Partners for Water works, and on how water affects their lives. Below, discover how water shapes the life of Liria Francisco and her neighbours in Beira, a city deeply affected by frequent flooding.

“I tell them that when the dyke is built, we’ll still be here, but we’ll feel safe”.

One of the key initiatives in Beira targets Maraza, a 350-hectare undeveloped swamp area. This pilot project seeks to show that through organized residential expansion, land that is currently uninhabitable due to frequent flooding can be transformed and made available at affordable prices. For the success of the project, it’s crucial that residents recognise how the plans will enhance their lives and health. Advocates like Francisco are pivotal in communicating these benefits to the community

Dutch-Mozambique Water Cooperation

In 2025, Mozambique and the Netherlands will celebrate 50 years of bilateral cooperation, a partnership that has focused on water management since Mozambique’s independence in 1975. Over time, this collaboration has expanded to include food security, rule of law, health (including HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health), and social protection. Dutch interests in Mozambique also extend to maritime, transport, food and beverage, and extractive industries.

The partnership is structured through four-year strategies, with the current Multi-Annual Country Strategy (MACS 2023-2026) emphasizing water as a top priority. The focus is on Cabo Delgado in the north and the Beira corridor in the central region, areas highly vulnerable to extreme climate events such as floods, droughts, cyclones, and storm surges. Mozambique is among the top 10 countries most at risk from these natural disasters, highlighting the critical need for this long-term water management partnership. Recent cyclones, including Idai (2019), Eloise (2021), and Freddy (2023), have caused severe damage.

Since the 1970s, many of Mozambique’s water leaders have trained in the Netherlands or through Dutch-funded programmes. Prominent Dutch scholars have also conducted essential research in Mozambique. Dutch water companies have partnered with Mozambique’s national water utility, FIPAG, for over 20 years, helping to professionalize its operations. Additionally, the Netherlands Water Boards have supported their Mozambican counterparts for over a decade.

The Netherlands-Mozambique delta collaboration is a key part of the MACS strategy, guided by two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Beira. The first MoU, signed in 2015, focuses on implementing the Beira Master Plan 2035, mainly in water and land management. The second, signed in 2018, commits both parties to co-invest in land development in Beira’s Maraza neighbourhood and to strengthen local institutions for cyclone and flood resilience.

Urban Resilience in Beira

The partnership between the Netherlands and Mozambique, which began in 2011 with the Beira Master Plan 2035 (BMP2035), has concentrated on building urban resilience in Beira, as priorities have evolved over the years. The plan aims to strengthen Beira’s defences against the growing threats of climate change, including heavy rainfall, storm surges, and cyclones.

Cyclone Idai’s catastrophic landfall in Beira in 2019, which resulted in USD 357 million in damages and destroyed 70% of the city’s buildings, highlighted the urgent need for these efforts. The Netherlands played a crucial role in coordinating a recovery package that secured USD 250 million for public infrastructure. However, despite these efforts, Beira’s economy remains fragile, with most damage to housing and businesses uninsured.

Dutch involvement in Beira has significantly increased, with funding rising from EUR 300,000 in 2011 to over EUR 3 million by 2021. This support has financed a range of urban development projects, including coastal protection, drainage improvements, and land management