AfDB Approves Emergency Aid for Mozambique Flood Victims

According to IOM Chief of Mission in Mozambique, Dr. Laura Tomm-Bonde, the needs remain enormous as many families continue to recover from the destruction caused by the floods.

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved a US$1 million emergency relief grant to support Mozambique's response to devastating floods that struck the country's central and southern regions earlier this year.

The funding follows a request from the Mozambican government after heavy flooding affected communities across Maputo and Gaza provinces in January 2026, leaving thousands of families displaced and in urgent need of assistance. The grant will be financed through the Bank's Special Relief Fund and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which has extensive experience in emergency humanitarian operations.

The support package is designed to provide immediate relief to some of the hardest-hit communities. Around 45,000 people, many of them women and children, are expected to benefit from the intervention through the distribution of emergency shelters and essential household supplies.

Mozambique's Minister of Finance, Carla do Rosário Fernandes Loveira, welcomed the rapid response, saying the funding would help restore safety and dignity to thousands of affected families while strengthening the government's broader recovery efforts.

Emergency shelters and essential supplies to reach affected communities

The project will deliver 9,000 emergency shelters alongside household assistance kits that include items needed for daily survival and recovery. Activities under the initiative will also cover transportation, installation, storage, site preparation, hygiene awareness campaigns and environmental cleaning efforts.

Flood-affected communities have already begun receiving support through ongoing IOM operations. The organization has reached more than 12,500 people across Gaza and Maputo provinces under its emergency flood response programme.

Recent distributions assisted hundreds of households at the Filipe Samuel Magaia Resettlement Centre in Boane District, while earlier operations provided aid to more than 2,000 households in the Xilembene community of Gaza Province.

Families have received shelter materials and essential non-food items such as tarpaulins, blankets, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, kitchen kits and solar lamps. The assistance also includes awareness sessions focused on protection, safety and rebuilding stronger, more resilient homes after disasters.

According to IOM Chief of Mission in Mozambique, Dr. Laura Tomm-Bonde, the needs remain enormous as many families continue to recover from the destruction caused by the floods. She noted that strong partnerships are becoming increasingly important as climate-related disasters grow more frequent and severe across the region.

Innovative technology supports recovery efforts

As part of the next phase of the response, IOM and government authorities have identified the districts of Mabalane and Manjacaze as priority areas for additional assistance. Assessment teams are working with local officials to identify families most in need and finalize future distribution plans.

The African Development Bank said the emergency intervention forms part of a broader commitment to disaster resilience and preparedness in Mozambique. One notable aspect of the response has been the use of drone technology to support damage assessments and improve the speed and accuracy of relief operations.

The drone-based disaster management initiative is funded through the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Trust Fund and helps authorities identify the areas most affected by natural disasters, allowing resources to be directed more efficiently.

AfDB Resident Representative in Mozambique Rômulo Corrêa said the combination of emergency shelter assistance and innovative technology is helping ensure support reaches vulnerable communities quickly and effectively. He noted that the scale of the disaster has placed considerable pressure on national resources, making international support critical for recovery efforts.

The new grant reinforces the African Development Bank's long-term partnership with Mozambique and reflects a broader commitment to helping countries strengthen resilience against future climate-related emergencies while addressing immediate humanitarian needs.