The following is a report on emergency flood relief (provision of supplies) to the Republic of Mozambique as authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 8:47 p.m., March 3 (Fri), after consultations with the Ministry of Finance.
1. Emergency Situation
Continuous rains have fallen in Mozambique since mid-January, with the period of February 11-13 being particularly heavy. The most severe flooding seen in the country in 50 years struck five central and southern provinces (Sofala, Manica, Inhambane, Gaza, and Maputo), and has seriously affected populated areas and caused extensive properly damage. In some areas the flooding has isolated towns and villages, hampering such activities as relief operations and transport of supplies. In addition, the central water supply system in the capital city of Maputo has been severely damaged, leaving many of the city=D5s residents without a secure water supply, and shelters in the city lack the space needed for the 100,000 people seeking refuge. On February 16 the government of Mozambique reported that the number of dead had reached 48, while the total number of persons affected had climbed to 800,000
2. Response of the Government of Botswana
The government of Mozambique made a request to the international community for aid on February 10.
3. Response of the International Community
(1) EU $1.4 million
(2) United Kingdom $800,000
(3) Switzerland $410,000
(4) Germany $250,000
(5) UNICEF $160,000
(6) Portugal $150,000
(7) Norway $100,000
4. Response of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and JICA
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs received the request for emergency relief from the government of Mozambique, and after consultations with the Ministry of Finance, authorized provision of the following through JICA:
Relief supplies (from the JICA warehouse in the U.K.): water purification agent 14,100 boxes
Estimated cost of relief supplies: approximately: 19 million
Transport schedule: Arrangements are being made for transport to Maputo on the earliest available flight.
5. Additional Remarks
Following the end of civil war in 1992, Mozambique has been steadily moving toward democratization while implementing economic restructuring and fiscal/taxation plans. The country has emerged as one of the countries in Africa demonstrating very strong possibilities for growth. Japan opened an embassy in the country on January 1 of this year.