The Minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, Carlos Mesquita, criticizes the proliferation of disorderly construction in Mozambique, most of which does not include the provision of utilities such as water and energy.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the 1st Congress of Architecture in Mozambique, a two-day event that began yesterday in Maputo, under the theme: "Building Resilience; Challenges for Professional Practice in Mozambique", Mesquita said that there is currently no real planning throughout Mozambique, which makes it difficult to install sanitation, electricity and water networks.

Unfortunately, architects do nothing to reorganize existing spaces, and "our children are going to ask what we're doing, so we need to know how to answer".

"We have a responsibility to make things better. How many agglomerations are being built all over the country, where is the planning, the zoning, it's houses to the right, houses to the left, we want to lay the water and energy networks, we have to walk in zigzags, why?" questioned Mesquita, quoted by AIM.

Created six years ago, the Mozambican Order of Architects (OArQ) has, according to the minister, been consolidating its place on the national scene and the holding of the 1st congress bears witness to the evolution and vital role of the Order for Mozambicans.

The Executive is firm in its support for ORAR as it is vital to ensure the implementation of more comprehensive and effective mechanisms governing the professional practice of architecture in the country.

In the meantime, the minister proposed that all the existing Orders in the country should have a single building, where all their national headquarters would be located, as a way of establishing consensual, high standards and promoting excellence and innovation in architecture.

For his part, OrAQ's president, Luís Lage, said that architects should seek solutions in urbanism and land use planning, two paradigms that could represent a step forward in the agenda to promote the country's inclusive and sustainable development.

"This 1st Congress today is a unique opportunity for our community of architects, physical planners and urban planners to be inspired and to learn how to talk about best practices and future challenges. It's a chance to strengthen our profession, our performance in the world of architecture," said Lage.