Description: The latest UN report regarding the humanitarian and security crisis in Mozambique outlined skeptical prospects for improvement. The country’s militant group, known locally as al Shabab (unaffiliated with Al Qaeda sponsored Al Shabab), has ratcheted attacks, kidnappings and sexual violence in the country which caused the internal displacement of over 100 thousand people. The report also emphasized the country’s ailing healthcare system, which is on the brink of collapse, since most of the internationally funded programs have cut their financial assistance. Diseases such as cholera and malaria were also on the rise with the rainy season causing flooding and infrastructural destruction. Armed violence has been focused in the province of Cabo Delgado, across all 17 districts since its initiation in 2017.
Impact: The combination of security, humanitarian and natural disaster risk factors have pushed Mozambique’s civil response capacities to the brink of collapse, threatening widespread crisis across multiple fronts with healthcare systems severely overwhelmed and virtually nonexistent civil response and natural disaster prevention mechanisms. The armed violence in the 17 districts of Cabo Delgado emphasizes the country’s inability and lack of capacity to counter any form of armed insurgency let alone deal with a crisis that spreads across multiple sectors. The Mozambique crisis also underlines the vital importance of internationally sponsored aid and support programs in marginalized countries struggling with its civil defense and response mechanisms. The situation would continue to deteriorate with the potential of further escalation of armed violence and the mounting ramifications from the devastating natural disasters and ailing healthcare capacities.