Following the unrest in Lourenco Marques (Mozambique), and at the request of the Portuguese Red Cross, the ICRC regional delegate for Southern Africa, based on Rhodesia, took part in an emergency relief action which consisted in the despatch from Salisbury to Lourenço Marques, on 12 September 1974, of 700 kg of medicines and blood plasma, valued at 50,000 Swiss francs, for the principal hospital in that town. On the same day, he attended the first meeting between the Portuguese Red Cross, the Portuguese authorities and FRELIMO, with a view to organizing food supplies for the town and its suburbs.