Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with representatives of the Government of Zimbabwe on UK support for preparations ahead of Cyclone Freddy.

The Foreign Secretary has not discussed this issue with the Governments of Mozambique or Zimbabwe.

The FCDO provides ongoing humanitarian assistance in both countries. In Mozambique, this includes working with local and international partners and the Government of Mozambique to support disaster planning and response e.g. by providing emergency assistance for those displaced, and by funding partners to pre-position emergency shelter and non-food items. Ahead of Cyclone Freddy, the UK-supported START Fund has already allocated up to £275 thousand to its network members to help provide direct assistance. The British High Commissioner has participated in the government-led crisis response mechanism, and UK flood modelling is supporting the national and international response.

In Zimbabwe, British Embassy Harare is engaging with the UN-convened Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), which is tracking and assessing the risks of Cyclone Freddy in coordination with government partners. We are continuing to monitor the cyclone and coordinate with the HCT on preparedness and response plans. Earlier this month, the START Fund also allocated up to £192 thousand in response to severe weather in Zimbabwe.