From September 23–26, 2025, the final meeting of the second phase of the COMBO+ Program (“Conservation, Mitigation and Biodiversity Offsets”) was held in Nosy Be, Madagascar. The event brought together more than 41 participants from different countries, including donors, implementing entities, government partners, and consultants, to evaluate the results achieved between 2021–2025 and define the future of the initiative.

Mozambique participated with a delegation of seven representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries (MAAP), the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND).

The implementing countries of the COMBO+ Program (Mozambique, Madagascar, Uganda, Guinea, Laos, and Myanmar) presented the main achievements and lessons learned during this phase.

Mozambique consolidated significant advances for biodiversity conservation. Among the results, the following stand out:

• Legal milestone: Approval of the Biodiversity Offsets Directive – Ministerial Diploma No. 55/2022, of May 19, which establishes clear rules for applying the mitigation hierarchy and biodiversity offsets.
• Program reference: The approval and implementation of this legal instrument consolidate national legislation on Environmental Impact Assessment and reinforce Mozambique’s commitment to conservation.
• Innovative technical tools: Development of 5 ecosystem and species metrics, namely Miombo ecosystems, Mangroves, Coral reefs, Seagrasses, and African Elephant.
• National capacity building: Delivery of 26 training sessions, involving more than 1,100 technicians and decision-makers across the country.
• Field testing: Implementation of 4 pilot habitat improvement projects in 2 Conservation Areas (CAs) and 2 Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), which validated the Ministerial Diploma in practice and strengthened conservation areas’ capacity for future biodiversity offset projects, aligned with local management plans.
• National impact: Consolidation of environmental legislation and regional leadership in conservation innovation.

The progress achieved places Mozambique in a position of regional leadership, with the Ministerial Diploma on Offsets already recognized as a reference at the international level.

“With the support of COMBO+, the Government of Mozambique was able to accelerate these advances, achieving results that would have taken much longer if carried out in isolation.” highlighted Rosalina Niquice, MAAP representative at the meeting.

Donors and program evaluators also acknowledged the results, highlighting the contribution of COMBO+ in reconciling economic development with biodiversity conservation.

The donors, working team, and program evaluators are now developing solutions to ensure its continuity, both in the countries already involved and in its possible expansion to other regions, using the lessons learned to accelerate implementation.