The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Mozambique (OCHA) already has around 45 million dollars at its disposal, or 11 per cent of the 413 million needed for humanitarian assistance in Mozambique by the end of this year.
“We are in a very complicated situation because only around 10 to 11 per cent of what is needed has been mobilised, and normally by this time of year twice that amount would have been mobilised,” said Paula Emmerson, Head of OCHA’s Mozambique Office.
“We certainly hope to achieve more. Our hope is to continue mobilising despite knowing that this is a complicated year in terms of global funding,” she said.
As for the slowness in sending funds, the source says that it’s not just a situation that affects the country, but the whole world.
“This is not only happening in Mozambique, but also around the world humanitarian funding is not keeping up with the growth in humanitarian needs that we have had, but we will continue to make every effort,” he said.
Of the 413 million that OCHA plans to mobilise for humanitarian assistance in Mozambique in 2024, 387 million will go to assist people in conflict zones and 26 million to respond to natural disasters.
According to the UN, 2.3 million people are or could be in need in Mozambique this year, of which it plans to provide aid to 1.7 million people in vulnerable situations.
Of the 1.7 million Mozambicans in need in conflict zones, 1.3 will receive aid, and of the 554,000 in need due to natural disasters, 429,000 will be targeted.
Emmerson concludes by saying that the United Nations, through OCHA, has also been attentive to the imminent threat of droughts, developing early action plans in collaboration with the government.
“The United Nations has also accompanied the government in developing early action plans related to drought, but at the moment these action plans are being implemented in five districts, which is not enough, because we know that many people are or will be affected by droughts and for this, funding is needed,” he emphasised.
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