The third and last flight of the Humanitarian Air Bridge between the European Union and Mozambique arrived on 9 July in Pemba, capital of the northern province of Cabo Delgado, with a cargo including medicines, medical equipment, and hygiene kits. The first two flights arrived in Pemba on 3 and 4 July. Between them, the three flights carried over 20 tonnes of aid.
The European Union’s Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, who was present at the departure of the first flight on 30 June, said the humanitarian air bridge “has guaranteed crucial aid offered by Italy and Portugal to save the lives of people in a situation of vulnerability in Cabo Delgado, where the humanitarian situation continues to worsen”.
A statement from the EU explained that “almost two million people in Mozambique are facing serious food insecurity, due to the security situation, drought and the socio-economic impact of Covid-19. The escalation of violence in Cabo Delgado has already displaced around 800,000 people, and it is estimated that at least 1.3 million people need immediate humanitarian assistance and protection in Cabo Delgado and in Niassa and Nampula provinces”.
The EU says that this year it has allocated over €17 million (about US$20 million) to finance humanitarian aid to Mozambique, of which €15 million is earmarked for the crisis in Cabo Delgado. The EU assistance to Cabo Delgado, particularly to the internally displaced people and to the host communities, covers the provision of shelter, non-food emergency goods, water and sanitation, education, and health care.
“The European Union continues to defend greater access for humanitarian assistance and personnel and the elimination of obstacles that delay the provision of aid to the people who need it”, said the statement.
From 2020 to now, the EU’s humanitarian air bridge has facilitated 67 flights to 20 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, carrying more than 1,150 tonnes of medical equipment and other humanitarian support, and about 1,700 medical and humanitarian teams.