Rwanda is sending an additional 2,500 soldiers to aid Mozambique in combating resurgent attacks by Islamic State insurgents in the Cabo Delgado province, known for its oil riches.
The increase in attacks comes as the Southern African Development Community’s deployed force, SAMIM, prepares to withdraw from the area.
President Filipe Nyusi emphasized that the deployment of troops from Rwanda is not due to Mozambique’s inability to defend itself, but rather the recognition that fighting terrorism alone is challenging.
Nyusi, who will conclude his second five-year term in January 2025, expressed pride in the cooperation between Rwanda and Mozambique and emphasized the importance of ensuring continuity in security efforts.
Nyusi highlighted that more troops are arriving to reinforce existing forces, particularly in light of SAMIM’s departure.
He stressed the intention to occupy the hotspot area effectively once SAMIM definitively withdraws. These remarks were made during Nyusi’s reflection on his recent visit to Rwanda’s capital.
He attended the Africa CEO forum in Kigali and used the opportunity to meet with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and the CEO of French company TotalEnergies, Patrick Pouyanné.
Since 2017, Cabo Delgado has been grappling with an armed insurgency, disrupting numerous multi-billion-dollar oil and natural gas projects. Rwanda deployed 1,000 soldiers three years ago to assist Mozambique’s armed forces, alongside SAMIM.
The regional intervention force is set to withdraw entirely by July, requiring the Mozambican Armed Defense Forces (FADM) to step in and address the security vacuum.
TotalEnergies is constructing a plant near Palma for the production and export of natural gas, valued at $20 billion, but the project has been on hold since 2021.
Rwanda’s decision to provide additional military assistance to Mozambique was met with approval by TotalEnergies CEO Pouyanné, who expressed optimism that the natural gas project in the region would soon resume.
“We have made significant progress with our contractors, and we are prepared to resume operations,” Pouyanné stated. “Additionally, we are collaborating with various financial institutions to restart project financing, which is progressing positively.”
ExxonMobil, in partnership with Eni, is also advancing a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in northern Mozambique and expressed optimism last week about the security situation improving.
The withdrawal of SAMIM from Mozambique, prompted by financial challenges, coincides with a surge in terrorist attacks in Cabo Delgado.
Just a week ago, insurgents backed by the Islamic State raided the major town of Macomia in Cabo Delgado province, resulting in a dawn assault that reportedly claimed the lives of over 20 soldiers, according to local media accounts.
Webster Zambara, a senior project leader at the South Africa-based Institute of Justice and Reconciliation, suggested that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) should reconsider its withdrawal.
“Actually it’s the first time in Southern Africa where we would have a troop from East Africa stationed in one country to fight a war that actually is affecting not only one country Mozambique, but others like Tanzania, also Malawi and probably the whole region, and the bigger picture is that terrorism issues tend to be very long if we are to look at al-Shabab in East Africa and also Boko Haram in West Africa, so we may actually need to see SADC revisiting its position on this,” stated Zambara.
Commencing last month, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) issued a plea for nearly half a billion dollars in emergency assistance to aid affected and displaced Mozambicans in Cabo Delgado.
The humanitarian catastrophe has left 1.3 million individuals reliant on humanitarian aid.
YOU MAY ALSO READ: South Africa’s top court barred ex-President Jacob Zuma from running in general election