Michael D. Higgins
Question:19 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the current position in relation to food supplies for the people of Mozambique.
Written Answers. - Mozambique Food Supplies.
There is a massive shortage of food supplies in Mozambique at present. As in Somalia, the twin evils of drought and war have combined to exacerbate the situation and create a full scale famine.
A joint FAO/World Food Programme mission visited Mozambique earlier this year to assess the drought situation. It confirmed the almost total loss of the main cereal crops in the centre and the south of the country, and concluded that substantial amounts of extra food aid will be needed.
Seed production within Mozambique has also been affected by the drought. Seeds for free distribution and for the market place must now be imported. It is estimated by officials of the Government of Mozambique that 20,000 tonnes of seed are required immediately.
In 1992, Mozambique has been allocated 271,266 tonnes of food aid by the European Community: 247,078 tonnes of this have been shipped and 124,727 tonnes delivered.
In addition to food aid, on 1 October the Commission approved an allocation of 2 million ECUs in emergency aid to assist the population affected by famine. The aid will be used to fund the provision of medicines and for feeding programmes through the Red Cross and other agencies.
The EC is also assisting more than one million Mozambican refugees in Malawi through EC Food Aid to that country.
In spite of the very serious problems at present I am hopeful that the peace agreement signed in Rome on 4 October 1992 between the Government of Mozambique and RENAMO which ended a 15 year war will help to ensure that lives will be saved and will prevent Mozambique becoming the Somalia of tomorrow.