Mozambican Cities in Times of Change: the Double Pressure of Globalization and Climate Change

Abstract

At the end of the second decade of the 21st Century two phenomena of planetary agency stand out in the process of restructuring Mozambican cities: globalization and global climatic change. The aim of this article is to reflect on new centralities shaiping the re-qualification of Mozambican cities. By drawing on a review of the available literature and field work we demonstrate that urban functions are undergoing a transition from being productive centers to greater reliance on services including finances, communications and the expanding role of NGOs. These services are related to health care, communications and disaster management of the impacts caused by global climatic change. The use of information and communication technology and less dependence on heavy infrastructure is one of the new characteristics of the current activities coordinated by the cities.