The protection of human rights in Mozambique, in light of the devastating tropical cyclone Idai, should not be undermined by the need to service the country's debt, including the so-called secret loans, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Friday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th March, 2019) The protection of human rights in Mozambique, in light of the devastating tropical cyclone Idai, should not be undermined by the need to service the country's debt, including the so-called secret loans, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Friday.On March 15, cyclone Idai hit Mozambique and then continued to neighboring Zimbabwe and Malawi, triggering floods and landfalls. As a result, at least 700 people have been killed and hundreds more are missing in the said countries, according to the UN estimates.
"I am extremely concerned about the impact of the disaster on human rights both in the short and long term. Human rights must be at the centre of efforts to deal with the cyclone's consequences: the disaster should not deepen the debt crisis while debt repayments should not limit the necessary fiscal space for adequate response," UN human rights expert Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky said in a statement.
In 2013-2014, Mozambique's state-owned entities received loans worth some $2 billion without securing a parliamentary approval, while the funds exceeded official public limits, according to the OHCHR.
"The realisation of economic, social and cultural rights in Mozambique should not be jeopardised by the servicing of the country's debt and in particular its 'secret loan' component. Human rights and devastating impacts of Cyclone Idai must imperatively be considered in debt discussions," Bohoslavsky underlined.
The United Nations has called on donors to donate $282 million for the relief response in Mozambique. UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock has explained that the funds would be used to help people in the region with health, water, sanitation, hygiene and education-related supplies, as well as to provide food security and livelihood.
