The United Nations reported that Mozambique was the only country in Southern Africa where conflict continued to create humanitarian needs in the second quarter of the year, at a time when the region is seeking to recover from the impacts of several floods.
In the regional report released on Wednesday (15) by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the country stands out as an exception at a time when most countries in Southern Africa have transitioned from emergency operations triggered by floods and cyclones to recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Although the effects of the cyclones that struck Madagascar and Mozambique, as well as the floods that affected more than 2.6 million people in the region, subsided during the second quarter, the country continued to face humanitarian challenges related to insecurity and population displacement.
The report also highlights that food insecurity, disease outbreaks, malnutrition, and funding constraints remain among the top humanitarian concerns in Southern Africa, affecting millions of people, including those in Mozambique.
Although the report does not detail the hotspots of violence in the country, humanitarian needs remain closely linked to the security situation in Cabo Delgado province, in the north, where an armed insurgency has been ongoing since October 2017. Rich in natural gas reserves, the province remains a major concern for authorities and international partners due to the conflict’s impact on local populations.
ACLED Records New Attacks
Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) project indicate that, in the first two weeks of June alone, 11 violent incidents were recorded in Cabo Delgado, all attributed to extremists associated with the Islamic State, resulting in eight deaths.
According to the organization, the conflict has already caused 6,632 deaths since the insurgency began in October 2017, and of the 2,408 violent incidents recorded, 2,224 involved alleged members of the Islamic State in Mozambique. The consequences of the violence have been particularly evident in population displacements, the destruction of infrastructure, the disruption of basic services, and difficulties in accessing livelihoods—factors that continue to fuel the need for humanitarian assistance in various areas of the country’s north.
In addition to insecurity, the country faces challenges related to public health and nutrition. The OCHA regional report notes that acute malnutrition remains a significant concern in several countries, including Mozambique, reflecting the combined effects of prolonged drought, food insecurity, and disease outbreaks.
Cholera also continues to pose a threat in the region. Between April and June, more than 17,000 cases and over 200 cholera-related deaths were reported in Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zambia.
OCHA notes that, despite a slight improvement in regional food security—driven by above-average rainfall and seasonal harvests—approximately 13.3 million people remained in a crisis or worse situation due to the lingering effects of the 2023–24 drought, poor harvests, and high food prices.
The organization warns that vulnerabilities remain high in several countries in Southern Africa. Most of these countries have entered a recovery phase following the floods that occurred earlier this year, although localized flooding persists in Eswatini, according to OCHA.
The report also notes that the number of refugees and asylum seekers remained generally stable, with no signs of a significant worsening of population movements in the region during the second quarter.
Source: Diário Económico
