Africa-Press – Mozambique. Rwanda’s military mission in Mozambique is due to continue until the infrastructure destroyed by the terrorists in Cabo Delgado is rebuilt and former residents are able to return to their areas of origin.
So said Rwandan president Paul Kagame on Friday, during his visit, with President of the Republic Filipe Nyusi, to the contingent of the Rwandan Army and Police and of the Armed Forces for the Defence of Mozambique (FADM) stationed at the naval base at Pemba, provincial capital of Cabo Delgado.
The government approved, at the 32nd ordinary session of the Council of Ministers, the Cabo Delgado reconstruction plan for the period 2021 to 2024, as well as the mechanisms for its implementation. The budget for the plan will be made known in the coming days.
Addressing the two forces, Paul Kagame said that the work carried out by the joint troops was of recognised merit, having culminated in the recovery of areas that had been occupied by terrorists.
Among the recovered areas, the port town of Mocímboa da Praia, Awasse, the locality of Mbau, and the district of Palma, all now under the control of the joint forces of Mozambique and Rwanda, stand out.
“The mission of Rwandan troops in Mozambique continues. Their new mission should be to guarantee security in the liberated areas until reconstruction is finished,” President Kagame said, adding that this task too would be accomplished in partnership with the Mozambican Army, which would determine the areas of joint action.
Kagame acknowledged the sensitivity of his army’s mission, stating that there may be sacrifices along the way, but the cause of eradicating terrorism was paramount. “Losing one man will be the same as losing many people,” he remarked.
A 1,000-member strong contingent of Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) and Police of the Republic of Rwanda personnel have been in Mozambique since the July 9th, supporting the Mozambican Defence and Security Forces (FDS) in eradicating terrorism.
The eradication of violent extremism in Cabo Delgado also relies on the intervention of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) military mission (SAMIM), activated on 9 August.
Speaking at Pemba Naval Base, President Nyusi said that, by recovering the areas under the control of terrorists, the joint forces of Mozambique and Rwanda were “freeing humanity”.
For this reason, he said, the population of Cabo Delgado and of the whole country was grateful for the intervention of Rwandan troops in the country, as well as for all the foreign support.
He added that the joint action of Mozambican and Rwandan forces was an example for the whole of Africa, due to the smooth and coordinated way in which it had been carried out, alongside the presence of the SADC military mission in the field.
“I want to thank President Kagame for giving the Rwandan troops the mission of accompanying the process of rebuilding the areas and the infrastructure destroyed by the terrorists in Cabo Delgado,” President Nyusi said.
