Since 2017, the Province of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique has been facing an escalating conflict, compounded by a fragile situation of chronic underdevelopment, consecutive climatic shocks, and recurrent disease outbreaks. Violent attacks by Non-State Armed Groups (NSAGs) have further heightened protection risks, especially for women and girls. Where NSAGs have attacked, public infrastructures and equipment have been looted, damaged, and destroyed, and the loss of operational capacity and the human cost of the conflict have hindered State capacity to deploy public services in conflict affected areas. 

In Depth

As of July 2022, 1.5 million people in Northern Mozambique needed lifesaving and life-sustaining assistance as a result of continued armed conflict, violence and insecurity. The most affected districts were those directly hit by the armed conflict – Macomia, Mocimboa da Praia, Palma, Quissanga, Muidumbe and Nangade – as well as those hosting the highest number of displaced people, namely Chiure, Metuge, Montepuez, Mueda and Pemba. The government of Mozambique has responded with military action and reclaimed a number of areas that had been occupied by NSAGs. Since June 2022, however, members of NSAGs have started to target villages in the southern districts of Cabo Delgado, reaching the Province of Nampula in late August 2022. Prior to the arrival of the first foreign troops on the ground in July 2021, UNDP in partnership with ADIN had initiated stabilization interventions to assist the government of Mozambique in its efforts to re-establish the presence of the State in the reclaimed areas, paving the way for the reconstruction and subsequent safe and voluntary return of IDPs to their areas of origin. By mid-June 2022, the State Government reported that nearly 200,000 persons had returned to their original districts.