In a show of brotherhood and solidarity, the Republic of Zimbabwe on 23 February, 2022 presented 1000 tonnes of food items to the Republic of Mozambique to alleviate the suffering faced by the internally displaced persons affected by acts of terrorism and violent extremism in some districts of Cabo Delgado Province in northern Mozambique.
The donation, comprising 800 tonnes of maize and 200 tonnes of white sorghum, was made in fulfillment of the pledge made by His Excellency Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, during his State Visit to the Republic of Mozambique on 11 February, 2022.
It also comes against the backdrop of the pledges made during the Extraordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Malawi on 11 January, 2022 whereby Zimbabwe pledged 1000 tonnes of grain, South Africa pledged 20,000 tonnes of maize and Malawi pledged 10 tonnes of beans.
In presenting the donation of behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Ambassador of Zimbabwe to Mozambique, H.E. Victor Matemadanda, said faced with the threat of terrorism and its impact, it was natural that the two countries, bonded by geography, history, culture and tradition, and a spirit of camaraderie should stand together in unity and solidarity and help carry each other’s burdens.
H.E. Ambassador Matemadanda commended the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) and other foreign forces, working with the Mozambican Defence Forces, Forças Armadas de Defesa de Moçambique(FADM), for being instrumental in stabilising the security situation in Cabo Delgado and for securing the liberated areas which will facilitate smooth movement of humanitarian support to the intended beneficiaries.
The President of the National Institute for Disaster Management and Reduction of Mozambique, Luisa Celma Merque, who received the donation on behalf of the Government of Mozambique, expressed gratitude to the Republic of Zimbabwe for the timely donation, saying it demonstrates the true spirit of ‘Together, for a Secure Future’, a shared commitment reaffirmed by the Heads of State of the Republics of Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
She said the donation comes at an opportune time as the country is grappling with an increased number of internally displaced persons who are in need of humanitarian assistance as a result of terrorist activities and the effects of floods and cyclones.
Head of the SADC Mission in Mozambique, Professor Mpho Molomo, who is the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, applauded the benevolent gesture by Zimbabwe and said it demonstrates an inherent African communal spirit of sharing.
He said since the struggle for independence, SADC has exhibited the ideals of supporting each other in times of need and this has been demonstrated by Zimbabwe’s gesture and the continued support of SADC Member States that have provided personnel, equipment and financial resources to the SAMIM to assist Mozambique to address the challenges of terrorism in some districts of Cabo Delgado.
The handover of the donation was held in the City of Beira, which is a symbol of regional cooperation on transportation and logistics, as the Beira Port plays a key role in facilitating movement of goods and services for inland SADC Member States such as Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Humanitarian support to internally displaced persons is central to the SADC Framework for Support to the Republic of Mozambique and complements the efforts by the SADC Mission in Mozambique which was approved by the Extraordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Maputo, Mozambique on 23 June 2021 as a regional response to support the country to combat terrorism and acts of violent extremism.
