Africa-Press – Mozambique. Japan’s foreign minister, Yoko Kamikawa, called on Mozambique for “further efforts” to improve and maintain the security situation in Cabo Delgado, where Japanese companies are interested in natural gas projects.
“Referring to the importance of the liquefied natural gas development project in Cabo Delgado province, which has been suspended due to the terrorism, Minister Kamikawa requested further efforts by Mozambique to improve and maintain security in the region,” reads a note released on Tuesday by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, concerning the Japanese foreign minister’s meeting in Tokyo with her Mozambican counterpart, Verónica Macamo, who is visiting the country.
“The two ministers also affirmed the importance of working together on multifaceted development that will lead to the stabilization of Cabo Delgado province and the growth of the northern region as a whole,” reads the final statement, remarking on the readiness of the Government of Japan to support a common agenda for this purpose.
Japanese companies are involved in the TotalEnergies-led LNG project, estimated to be worth US$20 billion (€18.3 billion), which was suspended due to the terrorist attacks in Cabo Delgado, with the French multinational admitting to a possibility of the project restarting at the beginning of next year.
“Its geographic location positions the project well to meet Atlantic and Asia-Pacific market needs, as well as tap into the growing energy demands of the Middle East and Indian sub-continent,” TotalEnergies says about the LNG project.
Cabo Delgado has been facing an armed insurgency for six years with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State, which has led to a military response, since July 2021, with support from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), freeing districts near gas projects.
The conflict has already displaced one million people, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and cost around 4,000 lives, according to the ACLED conflict registration project.
On 22 November, Mozambican president Filipe Nyusi asked for “decisions” on the response capacity of the Armed Forces in Cabo Delgado, particularly with reservists, taking into account the planned withdrawal of foreign forces supporting terrorist groups on the ground.
“Concrete decisions on the response capacity of the Armed Forces in relation to their action in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado in the period after the withdrawal of friendly forces from SAMIM [SADC mission in Mozambique] and Rwanda,” Nyusi requested at the opening of the XXIV Coordinating Council of the Ministry of National Defence.
“To this end, your reflection must also evaluate how to best capitalize on the pool of reservists, engaging them directly or indirectly in various missions in favour of defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country. And the current reality justifies it,” he added.
Last August, the SADC summit approved the extension of the mission in Cabo Delgado for 12 months – until July next year. An assessment mission last July proposed the complete withdrawal of SAMIM soldiers in Cabo Delgado by July 2024, noting that the situation in the province “is now calm”, despite the risks prevailing.
In its recommendations, the evaluation mission advises the gradual start of the withdrawal of SAMIM from December 15th of this year and the completion of the withdrawal on July 15th, 2024, that is, one day before the end of the extension period decided by the SADC troika last week.
In addition to SAMIM and Mozambican government forces, Rwandan troops operating on the perimeter of the area where the natural gas projects are implemented.
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