The Mozambican government is still busy working to make up for the shortfall of two billion US dollars required to rebuild infrastructures destroyed by cyclones Idai and Kenneth that hit the central and northern regions of Mozambique in the first half of 2019.
The sum is part of a total of 3.2 billion needed for post-cyclone reconstruction, of which 1.2 billion US dollars have already been disbursed by cooperation partners.
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These are the figures released by the minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources Carlos Mesquita, on Thursday speaking at the High Level Meeting on Post Cyclone Reconstruction Programme Idai and Kenneth, implemented by the Post Cyclone Reconstruction Office (GREPOC).
Mesquita announced that 500 million US dollars have already been made available and invested to repair access roads, electricity grid and sanitation.
‘Of the confirmed resources, just over 500 million US dollars were used by the end of the first half of 2022 for urgent repair works on economic and social infrastructures in provinces that sustained severe damages,’ said Mesquita, cited by Radio Mozambique.
He noted that the disbursement marked the first phase of the Post Cyclone Recovery and Reconstruction Programme (PREPOC).
According to the minister, the largest investments for recovery took place in 2019, pointing to an intense movement of about 229 million US dollars, which were used to restore essential services.
The minister lamented the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 which had a major impact on financing post cyclone reconstruction.
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The two cyclones left over 700 people killed and displaced 420,000 others, as well as destroyed both public and private property.
UN World Meteorological Organization called it possibly the worst weather-related disaster to hit the southern hemisphere.
Prime Minister, Adriano Maleiane also attended the event.
