Maputo, Mozambique — Morocco has donated 150,000 US dollars to assist flood victims in central Mozambique.

Presenting the amount Monday to the Mozambican Disaster Management Institute (INGC), the Moroccan Ambassador, Abdellatif Nacif, said the gesture was to show his country's solidarity with the Mozambican people.

The amount will be used to strengthen the humanitarian operations underway in the four provinces affected by flooding, namely Manica, Sofala, Tete and Zambezia.

"More than simple financial aid, this symbolic gesture is for us, a means to show our solidarity with the Mozambican people and at the same time a means to strengthen our relations of friendship and co-operation," Nacif added.

With Morocco's vast experience in the area of natural disaster management, the two countries should strengthen their technical co-operation in the area, the envoy stressed.

The Moroccan contribution brings to 15 million US dollars the funds from the international community in response to Mozambique's appeal for emergency assistance.

But the amount still falls far short of the 36.5 million dollars sought by the government in its February appeal.