The European Commission has provided EUR 200 000 (approximately 13 million Meticais) in humanitarian funding to assist those most affected by former tropical cyclone Freddy, which struck Mozambique as a moderate storm on 24 February 2023.

The storm brough extensive rainfall to areas already affected by heavy rains. The EU funds will support the Mozambique Red Cross Society in continuing to help the communities already affected by the heavy rains and floods, including on awareness-raising and early warning. 

Running for three months, from the end of February to May 2023, this project will benefit 60,000 people in the in the Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Sofala, Tete and Zambezia regions.

The funding is part of the EU's overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Background

The European Union and its Member States are the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises.

Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the European Union provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.

The European Union is signatory to a €3 million humanitarian delegation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation's Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to “small-scale” disasters – those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.

The Disaster Response Emergency Fund was established in 1985 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF.  For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The delegation agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit within its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €3 million.

For further information, please contact: Mathias.Eick@echofield.eu or +254 722 791 604