On 27 March 2026, the Minister of Transport and Logistics, João Matlombe, signed a memorandum of understanding for bilateral technical cooperation with the Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Ademar Seabra da Cruz Júnior.
The project aims to develop mechanisms to strengthen the governance of the Mozambican Civil Aviation Institute (IACM), build the capacity of its technical staff, and enhance the operational safety of the Mozambican civil aviation system.
This will be achieved through training programmes and the establishment of a training facility; the development of an institutional strategic plan; the development of a Mozambican aeronautical registration model; and the strengthening of current performance under the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP), including the creation of a corrective action plan.
The signing of this agreement comes at a time when Mozambique is beginning to prepare to receive the USOAP audit from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2027, which aims to monitor the capacity of member states to oversee civil aviation safety, validating compliance with international standards.
This process was launched by ICAO in 1999 and has evolved into a Continuous Monitoring Approach since 2013, assessing eight critical elements to ensure operational safety and report progress.
“This audit will take place within a context where the Government of Mozambique is implementing structural reforms in the civil aviation system that will be largely operationalised through the Master Plan for Civil Aviation in Mozambique (2026–2045), approved very recently by the Government of Mozambique,” said Jorge Matlombe.
The project foresees technical assistance from Brazil through a simulated audit, which will allow Mozambican technicians to improve the techniques for resolving protocol questions regarding critical elements and, consequently, Mozambique can expect to improve performance indicators, especially in those areas where the level of efficiency has been relatively weak, such as airport infrastructure.
For his part, Ademar Seabra da Cruz Júnior, Brazilian Ambassador to Mozambique, explained that his country has accumulated experience that will be used to prepare Mozambican technicians. “That is the objective and that is the philosophy that drives us in this work.”
“We are also very pleased that this level of cooperation, which is evident at the highest political level, is also manifested in the commitment of the Mozambican Civil Aviation Institute, its staff, its technical staff, and its employees, to carry forward these possibilities for collaboration that we have,” he explained.
He stressed that aviation registration is an area in which Brazil has a long-standing and recognised presence and work, while safety, oversight, and security are other areas in which that country has experience.
