IUCN ESARO Regional Director’s visit to Inhambane strengthens conservation partnerships 

The visit brought together government, development partners, academic institutions and local communities to strengthen collaboration around biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration and a sustainable blue economy. 
Rather than focusing only on what has already been achieved, the engagements provided an opportunity to look ahead and reflect on how existing partnerships can be strengthened, successful approaches scaled and additional resources mobilised to support conservation and sustainable development in the province. 
The delegation met with the Governor of Inhambane, where discussions focused on deepening collaboration between IUCN and the provincial government and mobilising additional resources for conservation and sustainable development. 

The Governor recognised the technical support provided by IUCN to strengthen the province’s conservation agenda, including the multi-stakeholder platform established in 2025. He also expressed interest in becoming a member of IUCN, signalling an opportunity to further strengthen institutional engagement. 
The Governor was invited to participate in the upcoming IUCN World Conservation Congress / World Parks Congress in Panama, providing an opportunity for Inhambane to engage further in the global conservation agenda. 
“We are committed to continuing our partnership with Inhambane and to working together to mobilise the resources needed to advance conservation and sustainable development in the province.” - Luther Anukur, IUCN ESARO Regional Director.
The delegation also met with the Embassy of Ireland to reflect on the achievements of the CORE RESTOR partnership. Through the partnership, work has supported ecosystem restoration, community engagement, GIS and mapping, government coordination and livelihood opportunities. The discussions explored how these foundations could support further collaboration and scaling. 

The Embassy of Ireland highlighted IUCN’s technical expertise and ability to work closely with government and partners to deliver results for communities. 
“The nature of this partnership is unique. It is built on trust, and that trust has allowed us to create opportunities and catalyse resources for the blue economy.” - Chanito Ezequiel, Embassy of Ireland.
The visit also highlighted the growing role of local academic institutions in generating the evidence needed to guide conservation. 
Engagement with the Methodist University of Mozambique focused on its contribution to monitoring restoration sites in Jogó Matuve and Jogó Mauani, including the collection, analysis and documentation of data to track ecological changes over time. 
The University expressed interest in strengthening collaboration with IUCN, particularly around scientific publications on environmental conservation and restoration. Discussions also explored opportunities for collaboration on carbon credit certification, combining institutional expertise to advance climate action and sustainable natural resource management. 

With UniSAVE, discussions focused on strengthening collaboration around GIS training, particularly its application to mangrove restoration and ecosystem monitoring. The University also expressed interest in formalising cooperation through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). 
The discussions highlighted opportunities to use research findings and datasets generated by local universities to strengthen restoration planning, evidence-based decision-making and conservation action. 
The final part of the visit took the delegation from meetings to the field. 
In Morrumbene, Luther Anukur visited restoration areas supported by IUCN and met with the District Administrator and SDAE Director. The field visit offered a direct view of the progress being made through hydrological restoration interventions and strong community leadership. 

Among the most encouraging signs was the natural regeneration of mangroves in areas where their recovery had not initially been expected. 
“Although this is a pilot, we are already seeing very visible results. We are seeing mangroves coming back in areas where we did not expect them to.” -  Narciso Simião Zunguze, District Administrator, Morrumbene.
For local communities, however, restoration is not simply about recovering an ecosystem. It is about restoring the natural resources and opportunities on which people depend. 
As Mr. Pedro, a community leader from Jogó, reflected “we are not only restoring the mangroves; we are creating benefits and opportunities for the people who depend on them. When we work together, we can restore what we have lost and build a better future for our community.” 
The visit reinforced an important lesson from Inhambane that lasting conservation results depend on strong partnerships between government, communities, science and development partners. 

From provincial policy and partnerships to local knowledge, data and restoration on the ground, these connections are helping create the conditions for both nature and people to thrive. 
And in Morrumbene, the returning mangroves are becoming a visible sign that these partnerships can translate into real change.