In a bid to support the population affected by the conflict in Cabo Delgado, humanitarian aid from Portugal and Italy, begins to arrive in Mozambique. The first of three planned flights landed on Saturday.
The Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Francisco André called for the involvement of the other European Union member states.
Francisco André said “… this attitude of Portugal and Italy to take the initial step is very important because we would like it to mobilize other member states to do the same. It is very important that other European and non-European states join us in this effort to help the populations of Mozambique, especially in the Cabo Delgado area”,
The people of Cabo Delgado province, terrorized for more than three years by extremists, are living a dramatic situation.
Secretary of State of the Cabo Delgado Province, António Supeia said “there are no basic conditions of survival: food, shelters and other types of basic needs that are necessary to have a decent life”
The humanitarian situation in Mozambique, and especially in Cabo Delgado province, is deteriorating rapidly.
Almost 2 million people face food shortages due to the security problem in the region.
Added to this challenge are a severe drought, an impact, which is still being felt from the bad weather that hit the country, and Covid-19.
The escalating violence alone has led to more than 700,000 people having to flee their land and are now Internally Displaced Persons.