Africa-Press – Mozambique. Spain’s secretary of state for international cooperation, Pilar Cancela, said in Maputo on Wednesday there should be greater support for humanitarian assistance in Cabo Delgado, a province affected by an insurgency since 2017.
“Humanitarian aid in Cabo Delgado is a priority,” Pilar Cancela told the media, moments after a meeting in Maputo with Mozambique’s deputy minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Manuel José Gonçalves, as part of a working visit to the Mozambican capital.
Although without giving any figures, Cancela stressed the importance of the work that Spanish entities are doing to support the population of the province affected by terrorism, considering it essential, in the context of the humanitarian crisis, to send Cabo Delgado resources that are in other projects around the country.
“When there is instability, it is always difficult to run projects in a normal way. But we need to have the capacity to react, and we need to channel the resources that were in other areas to Cabo Delgado, this is a priority,” she said, stressing the “positive level” of the relationship between the two states, marking 43 years of cooperation
Cabo Delgado province has been facing an armed insurgency for five years, with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State.
The insurgency has led to a military response since July 2021 with support from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), liberating districts near gas projects, but new waves of attacks have emerged south of the region and in neighbouring Nampula province.
The conflict has left one million people displaced, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and about 4,000 dead, according to the ACLED conflict registration project.
During her three-day visit to Mozambique, as well as the deputy minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Spanish diplomat’s schedule includes meetings with other members of the government, notably the Minister of Health, Armindo Tiago, as well as visits to projects supported by Spain in Mozambique
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