The Government welcomes this opportunity to inform the Seanad about the current position in Mozambique. Continuing torrential rains throughout southern Africa, aggravated by cyclone Eline, have led to overflowing rivers and pressure on dams, resulting in severe flooding in southern and central parts of Mozambique.
We have all seen the pictures on television of helicopters winching people to safety from roofs and tree tops. The government of Mozambique estimates that 800,000 people have been affected by the flood and 300,000 people are in urgent need of food and other types of humanitarian aid. A large part of the population has been regrouped into camps or has no place to take refuge. As Mozambique is a sparsely populated country with many scattered and isolated communities, access to much of the population is difficult and in many cases the victims can only be reached by helicopter, given the flooded roads.
While the international agencies operating in Mozambique had made preparations following the forecasts of heavy rains they were taken unawares by the sheer scale of the devastation, particularly after the onset of cyclone Eline and the flood waters draining from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. The reality of the devastation turned out to exceed even the worst case scenario for which they were planning. Every effort is now being made to step up the relief operation. It was confirmed today that the United States will send 900 troops along with helicopters, transport planes and small boats to the country. This is in addition to the helicopters, planes and boats that have already been provided at an early stage by South Africa, the United Kingdom, Malawi and private companies operating in the country. The Mozambique Marine Services are also working to rescue people by boat along the Limpopo and Save rivers.
Since 1996 Mozambique has been a priority country for the Irish Government. In 1999 its budget allocation was £6.2 million and this year it is £7.4 million.
Ireland has been involved in the emergency response from the beginning. We operate an area development programme in Inhambane, where we are the largest single contributor of aid to the province. Last year I visited the province and we have a strong connection and relationship with the local authorities. In the days immediately following the flooding our embassy in Maputo took the initiative and organised an aerial survey of the province. It was the first survey that assessed the damage caused in the area. The provincial governor of Inhambane accompanied embassy staff while they conducted the survey.
Ireland has committed a total of £1.4 million in aid to assist in the emergency and rehabilitation phases of this crisis. We are co-ordinating our response with the aid flowing in from other coun tries and concentrating on meeting the priority needs of the thousands of displaced people. Yesterday, I announced an allocation amounting to £1 million. Originally these funds were allocated to long-term development activities in the province of Inhambane, one of the areas worst affected by the current crisis. Unfortunately, these activities have had to be deferred because of the devastation caused by the floods. This money will be reallocated for emergency and rehabilitation assistance including shelter, housing, rebuilding roads, re-establishing health care, education and other services and for agriculture and livestock re-supply.
As Ireland Aid has an existing involvement in Inhambane, one of the worst affected areas, we are uniquely placed to play a leading role in the planning of emergency operations. Our head of mission in Maputo is Justin Carroll and earlier this week he travelled to Inhambane as part of an emergency needs assessment mission. He is keeping my Department updated on an hourly basis. He reported that the town of Nova Mambone, where lreland Aid has an ongoing programme of support for the health sector, is particularly badly affected. He also travelled by road to Pande and I am pleased to report that work undertaken under the priority country programme there last year is proving immensely valuable to the emergency operations.
An Ireland Aid rehabilitated health centre in Pande is a centre for emergency support for 17,000 displaced people. It is suitable for this purpose because it has solar energy and a supply of uncontaminated water as a result of support provided by us last year.
We have staff based in Inhambane and we have a close working relationship with the authorities and people at provincial, district and village level. By drawing on this expertise and through the money provided by the country programme and emergency provisions we have great flexibility and we are playing a strong and positive role in the emergency operations.
We also provide aid to the region through our emergency humanitarian budget which is separate from our long-term development budget for 2000. In the days following the initial flooding and as a response to the devastation caused by it, an initial emergency allocation of £160,000 was given to the WFP. This money went towards the cost of its air-bridge operation in the Inhambane province. Money was also given to Concern, one of the Irish agencies operating in Mozambique, for an emergency relief project in Maputo. These allocations were made following advice from our embassy in Maputo who are continuing to monitor the crisis.
Following the devastation caused by cyclone Eline I announced a further package of assistance amounting to £240,000. Part of this second allocation will go to WFP to assist them in what was originally a food drop but which has now become a rescue operation. We are also funding fuel to allow the South African Air Force to continue delivering emergency goods by helicopter to the affected areas.
From this point on programme expenditure will be administered with maximum flexibility to help Mozambique deal with this emergency. As soon as the problem has stabilised priority will be given to reconstruction and recovery activities as well as to the ongoing programme of supporting Mozambique's long-term development. It is important to keep a long-term perspective of our efforts to ensure that we are addressing the fundamental problem and not just its immediate symptoms, even when they are harrowing.
Ireland is also providing assistance through our membership of the European Union. On behalf of the member states the European Commission made an initial grant of 1 million in response to the crisis in Mozambique and Botswana. A further package of 2 million was approved yesterday for emergency humanitarian assistance which will be managed by the European Community Humanitarian Office. This aid will enable ECHO's NGO partners to provide immediate relief supplies to the displaced and homeless. Mr. Poul Nielson, Development Commissioner and former Development Minister, is in Mozambique with the Portuguese Secretary of State assessing the problem. A third EU funding decision will be considered in light of his visit. The EU member states are co-ordinating their responses both in Brussels and on the ground so as to ensure the most effective delivery of aid.
Today President Mbeki announced a meeting will be held in Pretoria tomorrow to discuss the emergency. It will involve South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana and Swaziland.
As always the Irish people have been extremely generous in their response. As expected Irish aid agencies are being generously supported by the public who are always generous in their voluntary contributions to such emergencies. I agree with Senator Ross that it is up to Governments and that it is inappropriate to leave it to the voluntary contributions and empathy and sympathy of ordinary people. It is the responsibility of governments to respond strategically, competently and quickly to emergencies. I can say with my hand on my heart that Ireland has been involved in this crisis from the beginning because we are well placed as a long-term development partner with political and bilateral relationships with Mozambique. From the first day of this crisis Ireland has assisted in the emergency operation. We have urged other countries to do likewise at European and UN levels. UNESCO and all of the UN agencies are working in consort.
It is true that there was a delay in galvanising the support of the international community commensurate with the disaster. Their efforts have an increased momentum because of the horrific scale of this disaster. Much of the development achieved by Mozambique over the past ten years has been reversed by this disaster. As Senator Ross said Mozambique achieved incredible economic growth when compared to other countries in the region. It participated in its development with Ireland Aid, our strategic developmental partner. Much of our efforts in development have been reversed. However, Ireland is in for the long haul with Mozambique and we will stay with it as it builds up its infrastructure again.
I thank Senator Ross for raising this issue. I will be in a position to report progress as the days go by. This crisis is only in mid-stream. There is a danger that floodwaters in neighbouring countries may flow through Mozambique and exacerbate the problem for the people of Inhambane and the other provinces which have been so badly affected.
