The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says it is deeply concerned about the escalating humanitarian crisis in Mozambique's northern Cabo Delgado province, as a recent upsurge in violence by non-state armed groups (NSAGs) continues to force thousands of people to flee to southern districts in search of safety. Since the latest outbreak of violence and attacks against civilians in early February, more than 70,000 women, children and men have been forcibly displaced.
"Nearly 90 percent of those displaced are women, many of them pregnant, people with disabilities, and the elderly. More than half of the newly displaced are children. This underscores the urgent need for targeted assistance and protection measures to address the needs of vulnerable populations," UNHCR spokesperson William Spindler said on Friday.
According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), about 61 percent of internally displaced persons (IDPs) are children.
Most people have been forcibly displaced across the districts of Macomia, Chiure, Mecufi, Mocimboa da Praia, and Muidumbe. In Chiure district alone, over 56,000 people have been affected, while more than 33,000 have crossed into neighboring Nampula Province.
According to UNHCR, the violence has also been marked by extensive destruction of residential areas and religious and community facilities such as schools and health centers. The violence has severely disrupted livelihoods and access to basic services, requiring an urgent humanitarian response.
“This rampant destruction has further exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation in Mozambique, where over 709,000 people remain internally displaced due to violence perpetrated by non-state armed groups and the impact of the climate crisis,” said Spindler.
The affected families have sought refuge in displacement sites and host communities in Nampula Province, which also hosts approximately 8,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in the Maratane Refugee Settlement.
"UNHCR and other partners are providing core relief items, including blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, jerrycans, buckets, solar lamps, kitchen sets and plastic sheets to the newly displaced people, and will also screen and register people with specific needs for support and assistance," the UNHCR spokesperson added.
Additional interventions are being planned and discussed with local authorities in the areas of water and sanitation, general protection, shelter, health / nutrition, and food security, however lack of funding is hampering the response.
The UN Refugee Agency, which has been present in Mozambique since the 1980s, reiterated its commitment to continue to work closely with local authorities, humanitarian partners, and host communities to address the urgent needs of displaced people, providing protection, shelter and essential assistance to those affected by the conflict in Cabo Delgado.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the humanitarian situation in northern Mozambique in 2023 was characterized by the steady return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their home districts. People returned because of improved security, a desire to reunite with their families, and to secure their land and cultivate crops.
However, in December last year, confrontations between armed groups and the security forces intensified as violent attacks against civilians increased. Beginning in February, militant groups expanded their activities southward. Civilians have been severely affected by the fighting and many have been displaced, including those who had returned home. As a result, many have been forced to flee multiple times.
In its latest situation report, OCHA said humanitarian agencies are also concerned about the further spread of cholera in transit and shelter areas. There is currently a cholera outbreak in three provinces - Cabo Delgado, Niassa and Nampula.
Mozambique is experiencing its largest cholera outbreak in 25 years. More than 43,000 cholera cases and 165 deaths have been reported between September 2022 and January 2024.
The United Nations estimates that 2.3 million children, women and men in Mozambique will need humanitarian assistance in 2024, most of them in Cabo Delgado and the neighboring provinces of Niassa and Nampula. Mozambique, which is also vulnerable to climate shocks and frequent natural hazards such as droughts, floods, and tropical storms, was hit twice by Cyclone Freddy in early 2023.
As of January 2024, more than 850,000 people are still internally displaced in the country due to violence by armed groups and the devastating impact of the climate crisis.
The armed conflict in northern Mozambique has also exacerbated food insecurity and malnutrition. Families have been forced to abandon their homes and fields, and erratic rainfall in some parts of the region has exacerbated crop losses.
Overall, 3.3 million people across Mozambique are at risk of acute food insecurity (IPC 3 or worse) between October 2023 and March 2024. Approximately 220,000 people face emergency levels of hunger (IPC 4). More than 1.2 million people are in need of food assistance in Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces.
Humanitarian operations in Mozambique are facing severe funding constraints. The UN Refugee Agency's total requirements in Mozambique amount to US$49 million, of which only 17 percent is currently funded. Overall, the United Nations is seeking US$413 million to provide humanitarian assistance to 1.7 million vulnerable people in Mozambique through 2024. As of March 1, only 0.4 percent of the humanitarian response is funded.
Further information
Full text: Humanitarian crisis worsens in northern Mozambique as thousands flee violence, UNHCR briefing notes, published March 1, 2024
https://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing-notes/humanitarian-crisis-worsens-northern-mozambique-thousands-flee-violence