MAPUTO, Mozambique: Today, the Government of Japan announced its funding commitment of $5.2 million USD to support Mozambique towards its path to sustainable development as well as the humanitarian response to the crisis in the north of the country. Under the leadership of various national institutions, the Japanese support will be implemented through six international organizations working to address the urgent needs of those affected by the complex crisis; these organizations include United Nations Entities, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC).
The announcement was made during an official ceremony held today in Maputo, attended by Government of Mozambique representatives, including Ministry of Foreign Affairs Asia Pacific Director, Mr. Ismael Valigy; Ambassador of Japan to Mozambique, His Excellency, Mr. Kimura Hajime; the Head of Delegation of the ICRC in Mozambique, Ms. Catherine Gendre; Acting Head of Delegation of the IFRC in Mozambique, Ms. Naemi Heita; and Resident Representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).
Under its supplementary aid budget, the generous support from the Government of Japan enables selected international organizations to strengthen and scale-up their support to the Government of Mozambique on sustainable development and the humanitarian response to internally displaced people and host communities affected by the crisis in northern Mozambique.
“Mozambique faces security issues in Cabo Delgado, which has caused many casualties. Alleviating insecurity and conflict is essential for Mozambique's future economic development, and Japan continues to express its sincere concerns and provide various humanitarian assistance; Therefore, the Government of Japan decided to extend the Grant Aid of $4,903,062 USD (four million nine hundred and three thousand and sixty-two US dollars) for internally displaced persons and their host communities in the northern provinces”, affirmed H.E. the Ambassador of Japan, Mr. Kimura Hajime, during the ceremony.
“In addition to this, business ties between Japan and Mozambique are increasing year by year, and urgent action is required to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), meet the target set by the Paris Agreement and ensure a just recovery from COVID-19, without harming human rights. Under these circumstances, the Government of Japan decided to extend the Grant Aid of $300,000 USD (three hundred thousand US dollars) to promote responsible business conduct in Mozambique where Japanese companies operate, with a particular focus on promoting human rights due diligence in global supply chains and leveraging the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights,” continued H.E. the Ambassador of Japan.
“Japan's contribution is a very important and very timely life-saver for many people with dire humanitarian needs. The UN commends Japan's generosity and concrete contribution to peace and multilateralism”, said the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Mozambique, Ms. Myrta Kaulard.
“People with disabilities, elderly, women and girls, men and boys will benefit from the continuity of health services, job creation and access to community-based protection; I thank the Government of Japan for its generous contribution towards a better future for all”, continued Ms. Myrta Kaulard.
IFRC Head of Maputo Delegation, Ms. Naemi Heita stated that “The humanitarian needs in the region are increasing drastically due to the effects of Climate Change and conflict situations. The most vulnerable are heavily impacted and need heightened assistance - A task that can only be accomplished by continuous partnerships from all actors. The Government of Japan has been a trusted partner for many years. We are grateful for the contribution and support as we deliver needed assistance to the most vulnerable at the mercy of natural disasters and health emergencies.”
“The armed conflict in Cabo Delgado has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. With the generous support from the Government of Japan, the ICRC will be able to continue to help people affected, supporting them with better access to primary healthcare and clean water, as well as helping them to provide for their families through farming, fishing and other livelihood activities,” said Ms. Catherine Gendre, ICRC Head of Delegation in Mozambique.
The Government of Japan is a longstanding partner of the United Nations and International Organizations in Mozambique. “We will continue to support the fight of Mozambique against the insecurity and the pandemic as well as promote responsible business conduct. Japan is always on your side,” concluded H.E. the Ambassador of Japan, Mr. Kimura Hajime.
NOTE FOR EDITORS
Funding to UNFPA:
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, which aims to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
Through funding support from Japan of $555,555 USD, UNFPA is supporting the Government of Mozambique, in close collaboration with UN and NGO partners, to strengthen and expand immediate life-saving and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response services, targeting and empowering women, girls and youth from displaced and host communities in Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Niassa provinces. Through the new Japan-funded project, UNFPA will provide life-saving support to safeguard women’s and girls’ health, rights and dignity. The project will benefit more than 80,000 women, girls, men, and boys.
Funding to UN Women:
UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. Through the triple mandate, UN Women is committed to ensuring equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of humanitarian action. To respond to the complex nature of conflict, there is a need to address humanitarian needs in a more inclusive, integrated, and holistic manner, that simultaneously addresses women's and girls’ most critical and urgent needs and the more longer-term empowerment and resilience. Through the financial support of $225,425 USD from the Government of Japan, UN Women will contribute towards ensuring a gender-responsive humanitarian action and that more women play a greater role and are better served by humanitarian response and recovery efforts in Cabo Delgado. This includes providing gender expertise to humanitarian coordination mechanisms; enhancing protection and access to life-saving socioeconomic opportunities for women and girls affected by conflict.
Funding to UNHCR:
UNHCR has been delivering protection and basic assistance for IDPs and affected host communities in Cabo Delgado since November 2019. As the lead agency coordinating the Protection Cluster in Mozambique, and a key member of the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster and the Shelter Cluster, UNHCR also aims to mainstream protection and support towards a concerted and coordinated response to seek solutions for IDPs. Thus, through funding received by the Government of Japan, UNHCR will work closely with the Mozambican Government and partners in the cluster to ensure that site management activities include community-based protection interventions in northern Mozambique. Within the Shelter Cluster, UNHCR’s response aims to enable IDPs to live in dignified and planned settlements/sites, with access to adequate shelter that allows a household to access privacy, security, emotional support, and protection from the elements. UNHCR’s scaling-up its support aims at addressing the urgent needs of displaced and host communities through the following main objectives: camp management and coordination refined and improved; community mobilization strengthened and expanded; peaceful co-existence with the local community promoted; population has sufficient basic and domestic items; and shelter and infrastructure established, improved and maintained.
Funding to ICRC:
Established in 1863, the ICRC operates worldwide, helping people affected by conflict and armed violence. An independent and neutral organization, its mandate stems essentially from the Geneva Conventions of 1949.
Through the funding support from Japan in 2022 ($2.5 million USD), the ICRC will continue to monitor the situation in conflict-affected areas of Mozambique, strengthen dialogue with authorities, military and security forces and other weapon bearers, in order to remind them of the necessity of upholding respect for civilians. The ICRC will continue to help conflict-affected communities to develop their resilience through farming, fishing and other livelihood activities and to cover their immediate needs through relief aid distribution. The ICRC will continue to bolster the capacity of health facilities, including mobile clinics in remote areas, to provide good-quality curative, preventive and antenatal/postnatal care. Together with the Mozambique Red Cross (CVM), the ICRC will also continue to support the government’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign by encouraging communities to take the vaccine and assisting local vaccination teams. The ICRC will continue to ensure access to water to both residents and IDPs by maintaining and/or repairing hand pumps and washing areas, and constructing boreholes; and will continue to upgrade and to expand the water network in Montepuez, Cabo Delgado.
Funding to IFRC:
The International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) has been a force for humanity for over 100 years, delivering much-needed assistance to the world’s most vulnerable who are at the mercy of natural disasters and health emergencies through the years.
Through the funding support from Japan, the project will focus on disaster and crisis affected communities and their host communities in northern parts of Mozambique, seeking to provide livelihood; immediate food and basic needs and health support to persons of concern (Internally Displaced People – IDPs) and vulnerable people in host communities. Activities will be implemented in an integrated, or multi-sectoral manner, to holistically improve the resilience of displaced persons in this region.
Funding to UNDP:
As the United Nations lead agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated in three focus areas; sustainable development, democratic governance and peace building, and climate and disaster resilience.
With support from Japan, ($300,000 USD) UNDP will work at policy level, supporting the drafting of a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights following in the footsteps of countries like Japan that have already adopted on. UNDP will do so by bringing in expertise and practices collected in engaging in these processes in 12 countries already around the world. It will build the capacity of government agencies as well as of companies, including and particularly Japanese corporations and their suppliers. With the common objective of building a responsible business environment in Mozambique, with a level playing field from which all responsible companies will benefit. To pursue greater protection of human rights and more prosperity are essential elements of peaceful and sustainable development.
For more information, please contact:
Helvisney Cardoso, UN Mozambique, helvisney.cardoso@one.un.org, +258 84 044 8997
Miwako Hirota, UNFPA, hirota@unfpa.org, +258 85 350 0427
Celina Henriques, UNDP, celina.henriques@undp.org, +258 87 976 4392
