Mozambique Hosts Pledging Conference After Cyclone Devastation

The U.N. Development Program says Mozambique will host a pledging conference later this week to raise money for reconstruction efforts in the wake of cyclones Idai and Kenneth that devastated the country over the months in March and April. The cyclones, hitting weeks apart, have impacted 1.85 million people, according to the UNDP. The conference will take place on May 31 and June 1 in the city of Beira, an area severely impacted by the cyclones The cyclones severely weakened the country’s health care infrastructure and reduced access to sanitation and safe water, resulting in an outbreak of cholera. The cyclones also destroyed much of the nation’s residential infrastructure. Houses and other buildings have been destroyed, leaving many without adequate shelter. According to Mozambique's National Institute of Disaster Management, more than 23,000 people are without shelter. Availability of food is also an issue in Mozambique, with many crops devastated by the cyclones. According to the UNDP, the first day of the conference will focus on “technical discussions,” whereas the second day, which will be headed by Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi, is to be oriented around pledges. The Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA), a study evaluating the extent of the cyclones’ impact, “forms the basis of the Beira conference”, according to Mozambique government spokesperson Ana Comoana, who is quoted in a U.N. press release.