Portugal, Italy offer humanitarian aid to Mozambique

The conflict that affected Cabo Delgado, Mozambique has spurred humanitarian aid from Portugal and Italy, as they set out to support the populations affected by the unrest.

The Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Francisco Andre announced the mission as he called for the involvement of the other European Union member states. This is to be the first of three planned flights that landed on Saturday.

“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,” Andre said.

“The people of Cabo Delgado province have been terrorized for more than three years by extremists and are living in dramatic situations.

“There are no basic conditions of survival: food, shelters and other types of basic needs that are necessary to have a decent life,” said António Supeia, Secretary of State of the Cabo Delgado Province.

The humanitarian situation in Mozambique, and especially in Cabo Delgado province, is deteriorating rapidly. Almost 2 million people face food shortages due to security problems in the region.

The escalating violence alone has led to more than 700,000 people having to flee their land and are now Internally Displaced Persons.

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.

Suzan O/AFN