Mozambique acceded to the Nairobi Convention on 4 March 1999
Unless stated otherwise, the data quoted in this page are cited from publications by Nairobi Convention Secretariat and UNDP (see bottom of page for list).
Mozambique
Introduction
Mozambique is in the southeastern part of the African Continent and has a total surface area of 784,032 km2. The country possesses the third longest coastline in the Indian Ocean, covering a total distance of 2700 km, with the total continental shelf area measuring approximately 104,300 km2.
The Mozambique Channel separates Mozambique from Madagascar and is an important source region for the Agulhas current, one of the major western boundary currents. The Mozambique Channel is also one of the two routes through which the South Equatorial Current feeds the Agulhas Current.
Mozambique has an extensive aquatic network that includes about 100 principal river basins and nine international rivers, including the Rovuma, Zambezi, Save, Limpopo and Incomati Rivers.
In 2017, the population of Mozambique was 30 million.
Mozambique has established the Ministry of Sea, Inland Water and Fisheries and a National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD), a platform that ensures that development action in natural resources is coordinated.
Mozambique has appointed a Focal Point to the Nairobi Convention to help coordinate efforts to protect, manage, and use the Western Indian Ocean at the national level.
Publications
- UNEP/EAF (2012e). UNEP/(DEPI)/EAF/CP.7/3-En.: Report of The Executive Director. Presented at The Seventh Meeting of Contracting Parties to The Convention for The Protection, Management, And Development of The Marine and Coastal Environment of The Western Indian Ocean Region. Maputo, Mozambique 10-14 December 2012.
- United Nations Environment Programme – Nairobi Convention 2015. Status of Birds in the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Nairobi Convention Area: Regional Synthesis Report
- United Nations Environment Programme – Nairobi Convention 2016. Climate Strategy for the Nairobi Convention
- ASCLME 2012. National Marine Ecosystem Diagnostic Analysis. Mozambique. Contribution to the Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project (supported by UNDP with GEF grant financing)
- ASCLME 2012. Mozambique National Level Policy and Governance Assessment for Marine and Coastal Resources. Contribution to the Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project (supported by UNDP with GEF grant financing)
- United Nations Environment Programme and Secretariat of Nairobi Convention (2009). The Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the Protection of the Western Indian Ocean from Land-based Sources and Activities. Nairobi, Kenya, 140 pp.
- United Nations Environment Programme – Nairobi Convention Secretariat, 2019. Marine Protected Areas Outlook
- Project document of the ‘Western Indian Ocean Large Marine Ecosystems Strategic Action Programme Policy Harmonization and Institutional Reforms’ (SAPPHIRE)