The Japanese government has made around 1.7 million dollars (1.5 million euros) available for humanitarian aid to those affected by the insurgency and bad weather in the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, the Japanese embassy announced today.
“The [funding] project is expected to benefit 16,750 vulnerable people who have fled armed violence in the province,” especially in the districts of Quissanga, Mocímboa da Praia and Palma, among the worst hit by the rebel incursions that have plagued that northern Mozambican province since 2017, said Keiji Hamada, the Japanese ambassador, during the launch ceremony for the livelihood support project for returnees in Cabo Delgado province.
Japan’s support aims to ensure that people have new livelihoods based on agriculture and improve food and nutrition security and will be implemented by three United Nations agencies, namely the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
“Japan’s support makes it possible to directly address the urgent needs of returnees in Cabo Delgado, with the aim of rebuilding and improving livelihoods based on agriculture, with a focus on crop production and fisheries, improving the food and nutritional security of these communities, especially among women and children,” said the diplomat.
For the FAO representative in Mozambique, José Fernandez, Cabo Delgado faces “complex challenges”, both from conflicts and climatic events, so Japan’s support will “help rebuild and improve livelihoods, focusing on the food and nutritional security of these communities in a sustainable way”.
“IOM is embarking on this project which aims to support people in order to strengthen their resilience and promote lasting solutions, peace for returnees and host communities in conflict areas,” added IOM’s Head of Mission, Laura Tomm-Bonde.
The province of Cabo Delgado has been facing an armed insurgency for six years, with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State. After a slight lull in 2023, these attacks have multiplied in recent weeks, creating around 100,000 displaced people in February alone, as well as a trail of destruction, death and mismatched families.
This insurgency has led to a military response since July 2021, with the support of Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), liberating districts near the gas projects, but new waves of attacks have emerged in the south of the region.
Since 2017, the conflict has displaced more than a million people, according to UN agencies, and killed around 4,000, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project.
Lusa
