Press release: UK to provide extra £12 million in UK aid for survivors of Cyclone Idai

There are images and videos of UK aid arriving in Maputo yesterday (20 March) available here. We only released this footage this afternoon. Please credit “Department for International Development” if used. For bids or interview requests, please call the DFID Press Office on 0207 023 0600.

The UK is to provide an extra £12 million of support, including food, water and shelter, to the survivors of Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt announced the new funding today (Wednesday) – taking the UK’s additional support for victims of the cyclone to £18 million.

Yesterday, over 7,500 emergency shelter kits and 100 family tents, all funded by UK aid, arrived in Mozambique for onward distribution to families who have had to flee their homes.

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said:

I’ve been extremely moved by the images I’ve seen of this devastating cyclone which has caused misery for millions of people across Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. This is, undoubtedly, one of the biggest natural disasters to ever hit the region, and our thoughts remain firmly with the victims of this cyclone.

Today’s UK aid package is a sign of the UK’s commitment to do all we can to make sure those in desperate need of humanitarian relief have access to life-saving essentials, including food, water and shelter.

The UK was one of the first countries to respond to this disaster. We are keeping the situation under close review.

UK aid will be used to help meet immediate needs on the ground across the countries affected, including:

• making sure families have access to clean water to drink and wash, which will also help to stop the spread of deadly diseases
• providing food and food vouchers to those affected
• ensuring that those that have been left homeless are able to access safe shelter.

Speaking from Maputo, Head of DFID Mozambique Cate Turton said:

This is one of the biggest humanitarian disasters that this region has ever faced, and we’re doing all that we can to get aid to those desperately in need.

Our absolutely priority at the moment is to get food, water and other critical supplies to affected communities, many of which are cut off because of damage to roads and infrastructure.

Notes to editors

• Today’s announcement of £12 million of UK aid in addition to Monday’s (18 March) announcement of £6 million, taking the UK’s total support to the crisis to £18 million.
• In addition to this week’s new support, DFID already provides core funding to international aid organisations on the ground, including UN agencies and the Red Cross movement, which are providing emergency humanitarian relief as part of the international response in the region.
• In Zimbabwe, UK aid has ensured health, medical and nutrition supplies were in place before the cyclone struck and have reached affected communities in Chimanimani.
• The UK also prepositioned vital relief items in Mozambique to support the response to a humanitarian emergency, including: hygiene kits, hardware items to help repair homes, water purifiers and solar lamps.
• DFID is also the biggest donor to the START Fund, which has allocated £400,000, to enable NGOs Trocaire and HelpAge International to meet immediate needs such as clean water and shelter in Malawi.
• UK aid is also supporting the World Food Programme (WFP) to feed 130,000 people for two weeks in Mozambique by distributing emergency food and food vouchers for people to use at local markets. In Malawi, existing UK support will help the WFP provide cash transfers so that 140,000 people can feed themselves until the end of March.

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