Disbursement of funds for the post-cyclone Idai and Kenneth reconstruction program in the central and northern region continues to fall short of needs. So far, only $550 million has been channeled by different cooperation partners.
The government has estimated the reconstruction needs at about $3.2 billion, with partners pledging $1.6 billion at the International Donors Conference in Beira. Nevertheless, the amount already channeled is still far from the promise made by the partners.
According to the Minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, João Machatine, Machatine of the amount already disbursed by the partners, 346.9 million dollars have already been executed, explaining that despite the covid-19, these resources have made it possible to intervene in infrastructure and social in the affected provinces in the first phase of the post-cyclone recovery and reconstruction program.
"In the water and sanitation sector, about 58 kilometers of distribution network have been replaced and the opening of 113 multifunctional boreholes, construction of 17 mini water supply systems that use solar energy in Sofala and Manica is planned," said the Minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, adding that "in the housing sector, it has only been possible to mobilize 100 of the 750 million dollars needed, and the capacity for the construction and rehabilitation of 21,000 houses for an equal number of families has been established and 2,512 have been built, an achievement of 12%."
For the education sector, the needs are estimated at $135.8 million with the destruction of 4,745 classrooms. However, the government points out that this sector has a fund mobilization rate of 98%, with the confirmation of 132.6 of the 138.5 million dollars needed, having been able to build or rehabilitate 1900 classrooms damaged by the cyclones, of which 1,747 in the province of Sofala.
Under the Post-Cyclone Reconstruction and Recovery Program, the World Bank has provided $20 million for the resilient recovery project for 3,000 classrooms, which consists of correcting or standardizing interventions already done in recommended building codes.