What You Need to Know
The Russian Government has allocated $1.5 million for food assistance in Mozambique’s Nampula and Cabo Delgado provinces, aiding nearly 200,000 people affected by terrorism. The World Food Programme will distribute essential food supplies, including vegetable oil and peas, to families facing severe food insecurity and malnutrition.
Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Russian Government has made available, through the World Food Programme (WFP), US$1.5 million for food assistance to populations in the Mozambican provinces of Nampula and Cabo Delgado affected by terrorist attacks.
“This contribution of US$1.5 million will strengthen the food supply for almost 200,000 people facing food insecurity and malnutrition, especially women and children,” said WFP representative in Mozambique Claire Conan, quoted in a note sent to Lusa on Friday.
According to Conan, with the funding, the WFP purchased 70 metric tonnes of vegetable oil and 370 tonnes of peas, which will be part of the products delivered to families affected by the conflict.
“This support comes at a time when families in northern Mozambique are facing some of their most difficult days. Regular food assistance helps them rebuild their lives, builds a path to stability and gives hope,” she said.
WFP points out that the aid also comes at a critical moment, when, now in its eighth year, the armed conflict in the region, exacerbated by climate shocks, “continues to uproot families, disrupt livelihoods and push communities to the brink.”
“With more than 340,000 people recently displaced from January to November 2025, WFP assistance is under pressure and needs continue to increase,” it warns.
For his part, Russia’s ambassador to Mozambique, Vladimir Tararov, also quoted in the document, said it was no secret that the population in northern Mozambique was unfortunately facing severe food shortages due to constant terrorist attacks that were shaking the region and undermining its development.
“Our aid cannot solve all the problems faced by the inhabitants of Cabo Delgado province, but I hope it can contribute to alleviating people’s suffering. It is a small step, but a step in the right direction,” he concluded.
Gas-rich Cabo Delgado province has been the target of extremist attacks for eight years, with the first attack recorded on 5 October 2017 in the district of Mocímboa da Praia.
According to the latest report by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, of the 2,270 violent events recorded since October 2017, a total of 2,107 involved insurgents associated with Islamic State Mozambique (ISM).
These attacks have caused 6,341 deaths in just over eight years, according to the new report, reported by Lusa on 28 November.
The ACLED report also addresses the movement of ISM fighters through the districts of Eráti and Memba, in the neighbouring province of Nampula, reporting that “by 21 November, they had carried out 13 attacks against civilian communities in the two districts and killed at least 21 civilians”, moving in “at least three groups”.
“EIM activity in Nampula province peaked in November, with 16 events in the first three weeks of the month and the highest monthly death toll since the insurgency began.
November is the third consecutive month in which the EIM has been active in northern Nampula, marking the most sustained activity in the province since the beginning of the insurgency,” ACLED adds.
The organisation has acknowledged that these repeated incursions suggest that the group “may be seeking to strengthen existing links in the area, possibly with a view to reinforcing supply routes for recruits and goods”.
Cabo Delgado province has been plagued by extremist violence since 2017, with over 2,270 violent incidents reported. The conflict has resulted in significant loss of life and displacement, with more than 340,000 people affected in recent months. The ongoing violence has severely disrupted local communities and livelihoods, exacerbating food insecurity in the region.
The situation in northern Mozambique has drawn international attention, with various organizations, including the World Food Programme, stepping in to provide humanitarian aid. The conflict, linked to the Islamic State, has intensified, leading to increased calls for assistance to support the affected populations and address the
