The European Union (EU) has contributed over 34.3 million euros to a joint fund intended to help Mozambique to recover from cyclones Idai and Kenneth in 2019, under a financing agreement signed in Maputo with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), according to a statement released on Wednesday.
The fund, which supports the reconstruction of community and public infrastructure and the promotion of economic opportunities and means of subsistence for the affected population, is known as Recovery Mechanism in Mozambique, was created in August 2019 and is managed by the United Nations in partnership with the Government of Mozambique for a period of five years.
The EU”s support “provides a solid basis for a sustainable recovery of the communities most affected by the cyclones and will make a big difference in people”s lives,” said the deputy representative of the UNDP, Francisco Roquette, during the signing of the agreement.
The Recovery Mechanism was created by UNDP with a budget of US$72.2 million, and, in addition to the European Union (the largest contributor), has funding from partners such as Canada, China, India, Finland, the Netherlands and Norway.
The funds are used by partners for activities in the provinces directly affected by the cyclones, Sofala and Cabo Delgado, and is expected to extend its activities to the provinces of Inhambane, Manica, Nampula, Tete and Zambezia.
Until now, the fund has provided over 103,000 families with temporary employment – in the recovery of community assets or planting trees, among other activities – for training in bricklaying techniques and support to small businesses.
The drainage system of the city of Beira has also been recovered and officials of the municipality were trained and equipped for the collection and safe treatment of waste with low-risk asbestos content.
Cyclone Idai struck central Mozambique in March of 2019, caused 603 deaths and the city of Beira, one of the largest cities in the country, was severely affected.
Cyclone Kenneth, which struck the north of the country in April, killed 45 people.
