US boosts humanitarian relief for Mozambique

The United States has announced its huge involvement in humanitarian relief efforts to assist the victims of Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, including an attempt to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases, like cholera.

The US Embassy in South Africa today announced that so far more than 50 metric tons of humanitarian supplies had been airlifted to the country while more were being despatched daily.

As soon as the South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) and the South African National Defence Force gave the green light, the US Department of Defence was able to airlift life-saving food supplies from Durban to Mozambique

The US Embassy said the move was a sequel to the US Consul General in Durban, Sherry Zalika Sykes, visiting King Shaka International Airport on Sunday to view a shipment of UN World Food Programme food and relief supplies.

Under the auspices of the UN World Food Programme an estimated 2,500 metric tons of rice, peas, and vegetable oil were delivered to affected people in Sofala, Zambezia, and Manica provinces.

“This lifesaving emergency food assistance will support approximately 160,000 people for one month,” the US Embassy said in a statement on Monday.

To date, the US government has provided nearly $7.3 million (about R105 million) in humanitarian assistance to help people in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi who have been affected by Cyclone Idai as well as flooding that occurred earlier this month. This includes more than $6.5 million from USAID.

The Embassy said separately from these shipments, the United States had provided nearly $3.4 million in additional funding for the UN World Food Programme. Earlier, on March 20, USAID deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to Mozambique to assess damage and identify priority needs.

Some 17 elite team members including logisticians, as well as experts in food security, shelter, health, and water, sanitation, and hygiene were deployed from the USAID’s Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance.

“As flood waters begin to recede, the DART is continuing to identify additional humanitarian needs and working with our United Nations and NGO partners to rapidly scale up response efforts, prioritizing the provision of emergency shelter, food, water, improved sanitation, and hygiene supplies,” the embassy said.

The efforts were in response to a request by the USAID’s Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA), a federal coordinator for international disaster response within the US government. The Department of Defense US Africa Command subsequently airlifted and logistics support for the humanitarian response.

“The U.S. military deployed two C -130 cargo planes to assist USAID in delivering critical relief supplies, like food, water treatment units, and heavy-duty plastic sheeting, to hard-to-reach areas.

“To date, the U.S. military has airlifted more than 50 metric tons of humanitarian supplies, with more flights happening daily. The DART is working closely with the local government, as well as with WFP, the International Organization for Migration, CARE, and World Vision, to ensure that these relief items are distributed to the affected communities,” the US Embassy said.

To help prevent the spread of waterborne diseases, like cholera, USAID is working with partners to provide safe drinking water and hygiene supplies for more than 150,000 people, with more supplies on the way.

In addition, USAID’s DART includes health and water, sanitation, and hygiene experts who are assessing needs and working with partners to respond as the situation changes on the ground.

Subsequent flights will contain water treatment units capable of producing 4,000 liters of safe drinking water per day, four 10,000 liter water storage containers, 25,000 small water containers for families, and more than 300 latrines.

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