Brazilian cities as peacebuilding actors in Mozambique: Emerging perspectives on the role of decentralised south-south cooperation in Africa
Fritz Nganje
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
South African Research Chair in African Diplomacy and Foreign Policy
University of Johannesburg
Decentralised cooperation (development-oriented cooperation between city and regional governments) is increasingly being recognised as an important pillar of international development cooperation. However, the discourse in this regard is still largely shaped by the dominant North-South paradigm of development cooperation, ignoring perspectives informed by the growing cooperation between subnational governments of the South. This article will draw on cooperation between the Mozambican city of Maputo and its Brazilian counterparts to reflect on the emerging perspectives on decentralised South-South cooperation as a complementary mechanism for cooperation between Africa and the rest of the Global South. The paper will be based on an analysis of the city of Maputo’s formal and informal cooperation partnerships with a number of Brazilian cities, including Guarulhos, Curitiba and Belo Horizonte, which have served as platforms for peer learning, mentorship and other forms of technical cooperation. Desktop research on these partnerships and initiatives will be complemented with field research in Mozambique, which will include conversations with key stakeholders such as officials in the city of Maputo Council, the National Association of Municipalities in Mozambique and the United Cities and Local Government association.
