China, through the United Nation Development Program (UNDP) has pledged an additional $2 million in humanitarian assistance for the victims of the March 2019 Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe.
The funds will be directed towards the country’s post-disaster recovery, targeting among others health and education facilities that were damaged by the tropical storm.
Cyclone Idai caused catastrophic damage in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi.
The Zimbabwean government reported at least 299 deaths following the occurrence of the cyclone.
It is estimated that 250,000 people were affected by the floods in nine districts in the southeastern regions of Zimbabwe, with Chimanimani and Chipinge being the most affected.
The recovery program, which will be implemented over a 12-month period, is funded by the Chinese government under the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund (SSCAF) which aims to support developing countries’ implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Speaking at the official launch of the project on Post Disaster Recovery Assistance After Cyclone Idai on Friday, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun said through the SSCAF that China remains committed to assisting the victims of Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe.
“As a responsible member of international society and the all-weather friend of Zimbabwe, China has been doing its best to provide all kinds of assistance to Zimbabwe. After the Cyclone Idai, the Chinese government immediately provided emergency humanitarian assistance to Zimbabwe through bilateral and multilateral channels, and was committed to helping the affected areas to restore infrastructure facility and basic living conditions,” Guo said.
Since the occurrence of the tropical cyclone, China has been at the forefront in helping the Southern African nation recover from the damage it left.
In December 2019, a group of students from Zimbabwe’s regions affected by the cyclone visited China as a means of providing therapy for the trauma they underwent in the wake of the tropical storm.
