The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that 662,000 Mozambicans remained displaced in February in Cabo Delgado province, in the northern part of the country, while 722,000 had returned to their areas of origin, warning of a funding shortfall for humanitarian aid.
According to a report cited by Lusa, the humanitarian response in Mozambique faces worsening needs that have risen to $534 million, at a time when only $145 million had been mobilized as of May, covering 27% of the needs.
In the document, OCHA emphasized that Mozambique continues to face multiple overlapping humanitarian challenges, driven by armed conflict, climate shocks, and disease outbreaks.
“The armed conflict in Cabo Delgado province remains the primary driver of the humanitarian crisis, having triggered new population movements and hindered the stabilization of affected communities, which repeatedly face situations of forced displacement due to attacks by insurgent groups or fear of their actions,” the report states.
The same report noted that 97% of families had been displaced multiple times, highlighting the protracted nature of the crisis, which exacerbates risks of vulnerability, including loss of livelihoods, family separation, and limited access to basic services.
“In addition to the armed conflict, which has been ongoing since 2017, extreme weather events have been intensifying the pressure on the humanitarian situation. Between January and May 2026, approximately 899,000 people were affected by floods, which resulted in infrastructure destruction, agricultural losses, and fatalities,” the document states.
The report also noted that more than 518,000 hectares of cultivated land were affected, including 312,000 hectares destroyed, with significant impacts on food security and people’s livelihoods.
The document also notes that the United Nations is monitoring climate forecasts for the coming period with concern, indicating a high probability of an El Niño event in 2026–27—a scenario that could increase the likelihood of above-average rainfall in northern and central Mozambique, while raising the risk of drier conditions in the south, thereby exacerbating the vulnerability of local populations.
“Despite ongoing efforts, the humanitarian response remains constrained by a shortage of resources. Available funding is channeled primarily through collective mechanisms and humanitarian organizations, with most interventions carried out by nongovernmental organizations,” the report further states.
