Africa-Press – Mozambique. The German government has granted 26 million euros (about 31 million US dollars) to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Mozambique.
According to a joint release from the German embassy and the WFP, this grant is to assist the hundreds of thousands of people displaced by terrorist activities in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, and to face the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The new funding is in response to an appeal by the WFP urgently requesting more funds so that it can continue to provide support to people in need, and can buy and store food stocks to face the approaching 2021/2022 rainy season, in order to protect against any disturbances in aid that may result from logistical problems caused by heavy rains.
Cited in the release, German ambassador Lothar Freischlder said “Germany has doubled its contribution, because it is important for us to attend to the needs of people affected by crises and disasters, and so I am proud of these funds which are arriving at a moment when the people of Cabo Delgado have most need of them to survive and to rebuild”.
The WFP national director in Mozambique, Antonella d’Aprile, declared that, without the German support, “thousands of people would suffer from food insecurity in northern Mozambique. The German contribution allows us to help 298,000 people affected by the conflict”.
She added that “as the need for humanitarian assistance increases to record levels, driven by conflicts, climate change and Covid-19, WFP will continue to support the most vulnerable people, and provide assistance for recovery and resilience, working in close collaboration with the national institutions”.
