With global solidarity, Mozambique can overcome its crisis

The country needs urgent help with debt relief and humanitarian aid.

Mozambique has played such an inspirational role in the history of our continent that arriving to this vibrant and beautiful country has always been a great joy. But on my last visit earlier this month, while so happy to be reunited with Mozambicans, I also shared in their pain and frustration at the humanitarian crisis from the conflict in Cabo Delgado. As UN Under-Secretary-General, and as the leader of the UN’s work to beat AIDS, I came to Mozambique to express my solidarity with Mozambicans, and to learn how best we can strengthen our support for them. At this painful time for Mozambique, we the United Nations are with its people. As Mozambicans from across government, civil society organisations and communities have all told us, the impact of the humanitarian crisis intersects with the social and economic impact of climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing HIV epidemic, and the acute debt crisis the country has been suffering. As they noted, too, while the effects of these crises are being felt across society, these crises are not being experienced by people equally, but are exacerbating pre-existing inequalities. 2.2 million Mozambicans are living with HIV, the second-highest number of people living with HIV in the world after South Africa. Every hour in Mozambique, four adolescent girls or young women acquire HIV. The pandemic and the conflict in Cabo Delgado have knocked back the life-saving and life-changing progress that had been made in Mozambique towards overcoming HIV and AIDS.