Mozambique Humanitarian Background Additional Information
Natural Disasters
Other Comments

The population is dispersed over 10 provinces, 128 districts, 394 administrative posts, 1,072
localities and 10,025 villages

It is estimated that 36.2 % of the population lives below the poverty line and survives on less than
an US $1 per day

Natural disasters have long-lasting consequences due to the high level of vulnerability in the
population further exacerbated by the debilitating HIV pandemic with a national prevalence rate of
11.5% (UNAIDS – 2008)

High levels of vulnerability and susceptibility to climate changes has a tremendous impact on
Moçambique’s people, livestock, property, natural resources and physical infrastructure
For more data on Moçambique
disasters: www.preventionweb.net/english/countries/africa/moz
Climate – Temperature & Rainfall
Moçambique – Average Temperature (°C)
Maputo
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Average
Low
22
22
21
19
16
13
13
14
16
18
19
21
18°
High
30
31
29
28
27
25
24
26
27
28
28
29
28°
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Low
24
24
23
21
18
17
16
17
19
21
23
23
20°
High
30
30
30
28
27
26
25
25
27
28
30
30
28°
Nampula
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Low
21
21
21
20
18
16
16
16
17
18
20
21
19°
High
30
29
29
28
27
25
25
27
29
31
33
31
29°
Beira
Moçambique – Average Rainfall (mm)
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Total
Maputo
130
125
125
53
28
20
13
13
28
48
81
97
761 mm
Beira
250
302
274
139
84
48
47
42
24
38
110
231
1,554 mm
Nampula
223
210
187
86
26
21
18
11
8
16
70
184
1,060 mm
Climate – Seasonal Affects

The oceans play an important role in the Southern Africa region’s climate, the eastern coast of the
region is influenced by the southward-flowing Moçambique Current that brings warm water and
humid air from equatorial regions in the Indian Ocean which produces a humid, warm climate
whereas the western coast of the region is influenced by the cold Benguela Current from the Atlantic
Ocean that produces a drier climate

Total rainfall is greatest in the eastern portion of the region and gradually decreases westward so
that much of the central and western regions are semi-desert with low and variable rainfall. In the
eastern parts of Southern Africa both altitude and exposure to moist air coming off the Indian Ocean
produce the heaviest and most reliable rainfall

Southern Africa has a very complex network of international rivers and shared river basins. Every
major river in the region is shared by at least two countries and every country has at least one
international river and Moçambique is the extreme case; with nine international river systems

The Limpopo basin, the second largest of the Moçambique’s nine international river systems, has no
major hydro-dams to regulate its flow, unlike the country’s largest river, the Zambezi. Heavy rains in
RSA, Botswana and Zimbabwe flow directly into the lowlands of Moçambique and with an elevation
of less than 100 m above sea level, the probability of floods increases

The calendar below show the annual changes of climatic conditions and the impact on farming,
planting and harvest

Moçambique’s climate is influenced by two major factors: the warm Indian Ocean currents moving
south from the equatorial region to the north and the altitude of the Moçambican Plateau which
influences two main seasons, the wet and the dry seasons which divide the climatic year into almost
two equal parts. The dry season in Moçambique runs from April/May through to October/November
and temperatures range from 24° to 27° C and with some areas inland being cooler

The warmer rainy season runs from November to March with temperatures ranging from 27° to 31°
C with areas in the north being warmer and more humid. The average annual rainfall in the capital of
Maputo is 760 mm while in the wettest parts of the country further north the annual rainfall can be as
high as 1,800 – 2,200 mm

The country is divided in three climatic zones: (1) a rainy zone in the northern and central regions,
(2) a dry zone in the south, and (3) a relatively cool and rainy zone in the plateau and mountainous
regions

Cyclones occasionally hit Moçambique during the rainy season, when they do, heavy rainfall results
which can often cause widespread flooding and destruction
Contacts Information
Government Contacts
National Institute for Disaster Management
The Government of Moçambique (GoM) leads the emergency preparedness and response through
the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC) that coordinates any response
The INGC is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of State Administration and receives support from
line ministries at national, provincial and district levels
In the event of a natural disaster, an emergency is alerted by the Provincial Governor. The INGC in
coordination with the Provincial Governor and advised by an emergency committee made up of local
representatives of key ministries, such as agriculture and health. A similar committee is activated at the district
level and chaired by the District Administrator
Humanitarian Contacts
UN Residents Coordinators Office
The UN Emergency unit is a support function of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office. The unit reports
directly to the RC and is responsible for supporting the coordination mechanism, in particular the Disaster
Management Technical Working Group (DMTWG) and the UN focal points for emergencies, the UN Disaster
Management Team (UNDMT)
The Resident Coordinator plays a key role in emergencies, serving as a liaison with the Government and with
donors as well as facilitates the OCHA coordination role. The Cluster Approach adopted in 2007 by the
international humanitarian community in Moçambique and serves as a framework to complement and support
the Government’s emergency response efforts
The UN Emergency Unit works as a secretariat for the HCT and HCTWG. This Emergency Unit also works with
the co-ordination working group of the INGC. The aim of the Emergency Unit is to assist the RC in the
management and coordination of the UN system interventions in order to optimize relief assistance
Other Comments
Emergency Operations Centre – CENOE

The National Emergency Operations Centre (CENOE) is a multi-institutional and multi-sectoral
coordination structure established by the Government of Moçambique to coordinate national and
international efforts for a rapid, efficient and effective response to any disaster or threat from natural
hazards

Under the leadership of the INGC and its Director, the objectives of the CENOE are;

To collect from the different national and international bodies all relevant information about possible
or current emergency conditions and to centralise them in order to provide support to the President
of the Republic and the Council of Ministers for the declaration of emergency conditions;

To coordinate, upon delegation by the President of the Republic, the efforts of the different country
administrations and international bodies;

To provide all of the stakeholders involved in the prevention, mitigation and hazard response with
guiding instruments, procedures, tasks and actions for technical and scientific monitoring,
broadcasting warnings, control of operations, and the activation and deactivation of the emergency
operations
The operations and support function of the CENOE is implemented through a sectoral approach, with
the following four sectors or working groups:
Sector 1 – Planning & Information - Planning, Information and Resources
Sector 2 – Communication - Maintenance of equipment, INGC website and social communication
Sector 3 – Infrastructure - Transport, Public Works & Engineering and Energy
Sector 4 – Social Services - Attention to population, Medical and Health Services, Food and
Volunteers
Sectoral Clusters
 In early 2007, and in line with the UN and humanitarian reforms, the UN Resident




Coordinator (RC) convened the Moçambique members of the Inter Agency Standing
Committee (IASC) to establish a Humanitarian Country Team and to formally adopt the
cluster approach resulting in the formation of the above-mentioned ten clusters
The purpose of the Moçambique HCT is to strengthen inter-agency preparedness and
response capacity, and strengthen support to the Government of Moçambique for disaster
management
The Cluster approach facilitates joint resource mobilisation efforts within the HCT (joint
CERF applications, Sub-Regional Appeals) and improves coordination between all
humanitarian actors and with INGC both at central level and in the operational bases
established in the affected provinces
To ensure that the cross-cutting issues of HIV and gender were taken into consideration
throughout the response representatives from UNAIDS and UNFPA were continuously
present in coordination meetings in Maputo and Caia
Overall, the cluster approach in Moçambique has resulted in improved coordination and
information sharing and provided a more coherent link with government
A full list of Logistics Cluster participants can be located under Moçambique NGO’s and International
Organisations
Moçambique Logistics Cluster

Activities of the Logistics Cluster in Moçambique continuously identify the needs of humanitarian
actors in line with the GoM’s requirements and these activities depend on available funding, which
means the Logistics Cluster will not substitute organisations own logistics activities but will identify
and provide cover for gaps, as stated in the Logistics Cluster Objectives, in order to address the
following activities:
During the Preparedness Phase

Enhance preparedness through capacity building and contingency planning

Collect, analyse and disseminate logistics information within the Cluster, across other Clusters and
to other stakeholders

Use the Cluster as a platform for the exchange of information and to improve coordination and to
prioritise tasks

Strengthen the partnerships with and between UN agencies, the GoM, the Red Cross Movement,
NGOs and donors

Provide operational advice, best practices and troubleshooting assistance to Logistics Cluster
participants

Identify and address gaps, bottlenecks and duplications in logistics related activities
During an Emergency Response Phase

Conduct common logistics services during the emergency operation

Formalise existing coordination mechanisms among humanitarian actors

Develop and maintain a common logistics operational plan together with other humanitarian actors
and other clusters to ensure that efficient logistics operational continuity is achieved
Moçambique – Logistics Cluster Participants

During the previous two emergencies in Moçambique up to 50 organisations have benefited from
Logistics Cluster services

Since logistics is a cross-cutting area impacting most actors during an emergency, the Logistics
Cluster in general attracts the largest number of participants

In 2009, approximately 24 organisations actively participated in preparedness activities and 13
organisations contributed to the present plan

Other organisations are encouraged to participate in the preparedness phase and contribute to the
present plan, with the aim of allowing the Logistics Cluster to tailor the most appropriate response in
the time preceding a sudden onset emergency
Emergency Funding Mechanisms

Funding from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Sub-Regional Appeal
enabled humanitarian partners to respond rapidly to the 2007 floods and the 2008 cyclone
emergencies

One of the key factors that contributed to the success in accessing these funds was the collaboration
and consultation spirit among all the concerned parities (including UN agencies and NGOs) in the
preparation of the CERF and Sub-Regional Appeal

In January 2008 the CERF proposal was submitted and US $4,251,994 was allocated for the flood
response. The Sub-regional request mobilized an additional US $14,582,951 for the interventions of
humanitarian partners in support of the national response in Moçambique

Moreover, resources from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the
UN Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) in Brindisi were mobilised to contribute relief items for
the WASH and Shelter Clusters with a combined value of US $366,660

For future emergencies in Moçambique, the HCT will endeavour to ensure further participation from
local NGO and Civil Society partners in any initial requests for humanitarian funding and with clearer
guidelines for preparing proposals as it was found that local NGOs were constrained in their
response by a lack of funding.
Moçambique – Lead Ministries and supporting UN Agencies
Sector
Lead Ministry
Lead UN Agency
Agriculture & Food Security
Ministry of Agriculture
FAO
Health, Nutrition, HIV/AIDS
& Education
Ministry of Health
WHO, UNAIDS,
UNICEF
Water & Sanitation
Ministry of Public Works and
Housing (MOPH)
UNICEF
Transport, Logistics &
Communication
Ministry of Transport &
Communication
WFP
Women & Child Protection
Ministry of Women & Social Affairs UNICEF, UNIFEM,
UNFPA
Emergency Shelter &
Protection
Ministry of Public Works &
Housing
UN Habitat, CVM*
Coordination & Assessments
National Disaster Management
UNRC’s Office
Institute

*CVM = Cruz Vermelha Moçambique = Moçambique Red Cross
Moçambique Government
Ministries: www.portaldogoverno.gov.mz/contact_gov/copy_of_index_html/