The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has a shortfall of one-third of its planned budget for operations in Mozambique, according to data compiled last week.

Of the $25.7 million needed, the UN body received $17 million and there is a shortfall of $8.7 million, a report reads.

The figures are released at a time when the country is trying to find solutions to one of the worst IDP crises ever, triggered by rebel attacks in Cabo Delgado in the north of the country.

"More than 732,000 people are internally displaced in northern Mozambique," according to the UNHCR - a figure the government puts at around 817,000 people - which highlights the fact that the March attacks on Palma, the village of the gas projects, triggered "the flight of about 100,000 people."

In addition to Cabo Delgado, the displaced are in the provinces of Nampula, Niassa and Zambezia, of which 45% are children, 32% adult women and 23% adult men. 

"In Cabo Delgado province there are 663,000 displaced people, while in Nampula 67,000 are registered," the UNHCR details.

The north of the country is rich in natural gas, but terrorized since 2017 by armed rebels, with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State.

The conflict has claimed more than 3,100 lives, according to the ACLED conflict registration project.

Since July, an offensive by government troops with Rwandan support, later joined by SADC, allowed for an increase in security, recovering several areas where rebels were present, including the town of Mocímboa da Praia, which had been occupied since August 2020.

While the crisis in Cabo Delgado has focused attention in recent years, UNHCR's work in Mozambique covers victims of other conflicts.

Mozambique hosts 28,345 refugees and asylum seekers from other countries. 

About 9,500 live in the Maratane refugee camp in Nampula province, the country's only refugee reception area, while the remaining 19,000 live in urban areas throughout the country.

The National Institute for Refugee Support (INAR) biometrically registers refugees and asylum seekers and has issued identification documents to 26,950 people since 2017.

Lusa Agency