Cyclone Idai swept through northern parts of Mozambique on March 14 bringing winds of more than 150 kilometres an hour that triggered devestaing floods, and killed more than 450 people, according to Mozambican government sources.

Over 1,700 people are estimated wounded and more than 100,000 people displaced from their homes.

A Timor-Leste government spokesman said: “Given the seriousness of the situation and the historical and friendly ties between Timor-Leste and Mozambique, the Government expresses its solidarity with the people of Mozambique.”

The approved donation comes three days after Mozambique’s government made a formal request through the international community for aid.

Timor-Leste and its east African neighbour have shared a long history.

On 20 May 2018, the first President of Mozambique, Samora Machel, was posthumously awarded the Great Necklace of the Order of Timor-Leste.

The honour expresses the gratitude felt towards a “true brother of the Timorese people”, who “was touched by the cause of the Timorese people and decisively expressed Mozambique’s support for their struggle,” a presidential decree announcing the award noted.

“For Samora, the independence of Mozambique would not be complete without East Timor becoming an independent country.”

The presidential decree recalled the “solidarity shown by the Mozambican people” under the Machel’s leadership, and celebrates the struggles of the Zimbabwean, Namibian and South African people which “resulted in the liberation of the three fraternal peoples (…) a valuable contribution to humanity”.