The US oil company ExxonMobil donated 25 tons of food products to those displaced by armed violence in Cabo Delgado, in the north of the countryThe company announced this Monday in a statement.

The donation includes food such as rice, beans and flour and is to be distributed in the IDP centers and in the homes of host families on the outskirts of Pemba (the provincial capital), in coordination with the National Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (INGD).

"ExxonMobil worked with civil society and government partners in support of initiatives to respond to the primary needs of internally displaced communities in Cabo Delgado," said Jos Evens, ExxonMobil Mozambique's managing director, in a statement released to the media Monday.

In addition to food, ExxonMobil also donated 100 bicycles to displaced families in some regions of that province to "support transportation needs linked to commuting to schools and for subsistence or income-generating activities."

"We continue to monitor developments in the affected areas and extend our sympathies to the people, families and communities affected," said Jos Evens.

ExxonMobil leads with Italy's Eni the consortium that will explore for natural gas in Area 4 of the Rovuma basin, off the coast of Cabo Delgado.

Area 4 is operated by Mozambique Rovuma Venture (MRV), a joint venture co-owned by ExxonMobil, Eni and CNPC (China), which holds a 70% participating interest in the concession contract.

The Portuguese Galp, Kogas (South Korea) and Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (Mozambique) each hold stakes of 10%.