Idai: Queen Letizia of Spain to visit Mozambique

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Idai: Queen Letizia of Spain to visit Mozambique

4:54 CAT | 17 Apr 2019

Queen Letizia of Spain. [File photo: El Economista]

Queen Letizia of Spain will visit Mozambique from April 28 to 30 to learn about the humanitarian work her country is undertaking in areas affected by Cyclone Idai.

According to a statement from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Queen will learn about “work carried out by Spanish Cooperation in Mozambique in the areas of democratic governance, health, nutrition and rural development, as well as the emergency response for those affected by Cyclone Idai”.

The Spanish State Secretary for International Cooperation and for Ibero-America and the Caribbean, Mr Juan Pablo de Laiglesia, will travel to Mozambique with the Queen.

The visit was already being prepared before the cyclone hit, and it was decided to proceed in order to underline Spain’s commitment to helping Mozambique.

The official travel schedule has not yet been announced, but Queen Letizia is expected to visit Maputo and Beira, the city most affected by the cyclone, which is considered the worst natural disaster to hit southeast Africa in recent history.

?? H.M. the Queen will undertake a #cooperation trip to #Mozambique from 28 to 30 April to find out about the work carried out by @CooperacionESP in areas such as #health or #nutrition, as well as the emergency response for those affected by #CycloneIdai: https://t.co/QPExU9tmNN

— Spain MFA (@SpainMFA) April 17, 2019

Spain sent emergency humanitarian aid to Mozambique as soon as it became aware of the humanitarian disaster.

Queen Letizia is expected to visit the headquarters of the Spanish Technical Assistance and Emergency Response Team (STAR), which has set up a field hospital the size of a football field in the affected area.

In total there are 71 professionals – 40 from Spanish regional health departments and 31 logistics personnel – recruited when international organisations or affected countries request help following natural disaster or any other international emergency.

This is the fourth overseas cooperation trip undertaken by the Spanish queen, Letizia having visited the Dominican Republic and Haiti (2018), Senegal (2017) and Honduras and El Salvador (2015).

According to Mozambican authorities, Cyclone Idai, which also affected Malawi and Zimbabwe, caused 603 deaths in Mozambique and affected more than 1.5 million people, destroying or damaging many public buildings.

Source: Lusa