Portugal, Italy send humanitarian aid to Mozambique

LISBON, Portugal

Humanitarian aid from Portugal and Italy, begins to arrive in Mozambique to support the populations affected by the conflict in Cabo Delgado. The first of three planned flights landed on Saturday.

The Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation called for the involvement of the other European Union member states.

"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", Francisco André said.

The people of Cabo Delgado province, terrorized for more than three years by extremists, are living a dramatic situation.

"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 the security problem in the region.

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.

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