As tens of thousands of people have returned to the town of Mocímboa da Praia over the past months, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has established a medical project to assist vulnerable groups in the northern Mozambican district, which has been severely impacted by conflict in the province of Cabo Delgado. Prior to the start of the conflict in Cabo Delgado, Mocímboa da Praia was an important coastal town, a vibrant place with around 120,000 inhabitants in the whole district, mostly dedicated to both artisanal and industrial fishing in the urban and coastal areas, and subsistence agriculture in the rural areas of the interior.
The first attacks of the conflict took place in Mocímboa da Praia in 2017. Later, severe violence hit the city affecting local health centres and the hospital, which were severely damaged. In 2020, the town was taken over by members of a non-state armed group, but in August 2021, Mozambican and Rwandese armed forces retook control. Since last September, people have steadily returned to the city and other nearby villages, many after having been displaced for years. According to the local authorities, Mocímboa da Praia district now has around 72,000 inhabitants and many more are expected to return. Some of the current returnees are in transit, waiting to be able to resettle into surrounding villages.