From Mobilization to Lessons Learnt – Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations in Mozambique 2019

This article is a joint effort of civil protection and humanitarian aid experts to compare and search for a common ground of the two relief and recovery mechanisms deployed to disasters. The hypothesis says that efficiency and close collaboration of civil protection and humanitarian aid is a key requirement to reduce the impact of major disasters on developing countries and affected populations. As a case study tropical cyclones, Idai and Kenneth that hit Mozambique in 2019 have been chosen. Strategic and operational documents, lessons learnt reports, statistics, appeals, donor response decryptions, semi-formal interviews with delegates to Mozambique, personal experiences and findings have been used. Starting from the situation analysis the authors presented needs assessment tools and different assets mobilized to the operation, then they showed how these assets were allocated to sectoral activities. The decision-making process and collaboration with the host nation were included. Lively discussion on main challenges allowed to formulate a few key recommendations for the future. Strengthening international cooperation and coordination through a complex mechanism of sharing competencies among different stakeholders, proper division of tasks and responsibilities, and reviewing lessons learnt from relief operations seem to be key factors to develop and improve the whole aid system