Since 2011, Manuel de Araújo has been the Mayor of Quelimane — the economic, political, and administrative capital of Mozambique’s Zambezia province and the country’s 5th largest city, counting close to 400,00 inhabitants. Mr. de Araújo’s extensive experience spans the fields of Civil Society, Academics, Business and Politics. He is deeply involved in local, national, regional and global advocacy of urban and climate change issues. At regional and global levels, Manuel de Araújo plays key roles within institutions such as UCLG (United Cities and Local Governements) and ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability). He is also a member of ICLEI’s Global Executive Committee, acting as the organisation’s Global Co-Chair for Resilience

He was Member of Parliament (MP) and Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs Portfolio Committee in the Mozambican Parliament from 2004 to 2009. In 2019 was elected Deputy Chair of the National Council of the Mozambican Mayors Association (ANAMM) Congress.