On December 7th, the government of Mozambique officially merged the terrestrial Maputo Special Reserve with the marine Ponta Do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve, and created something new – Maputo National Park. Twenty years of ground laying work by Mozambique’s National Administration for Conservation Areas (ANAC) and Peace Parks Foundation finally bore fruit. The 1,700-square-kilometer park is the result of a 15-year agreement signed in 2018 between ANAC and Peace Parks to jointly manage the two reserves.The decree combining the two conservation lands into one national park also increases the legal protection to that of category two under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Under category two, national parks are “natural or near natural areas set aside to protect large-scale ecological processes, along with the complement of species and ecosystems characteristic of the area, which also provide a foundation for environmentally and culturally compatible spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational and visitor opportunities.” The park protects part of one of the world’s 36 biodiversity hotspots regarded as the most biodiverse places on earth. Since 2010, a rewilding effort has released almost 5,000 individual animals, including the reintroduction of 11 previously eradicated species, including cheetahs. The marine portion of the new park protects Mozambique’s most important nesting beaches for endangered leatherback and loggerhead turtles. Rare dugongs are protected in the ocean waters along with several shark species and the largest population of giant trevally in the entire world. The park and related projects are also expected to improve the livelihood of locals through sustainable development and ecotourism profits. “We applaud the Government of Mozambique for taking this momentous step forward in enhancing the protection of a region that is unmatched in its biodiversity and eco-tourism potential,” said Peace Parks Foundation CEO Werner Myburgh.“The establishment of Maputo National Park will further promote the outstanding tourism attractions of the area and increase awareness regionally and globally. Most importantly, national park status will greatly assist with achieving the ultimate objective of creating a self-sustaining park that generates income for communities and contributes significantly to the economy of Mozambique.”

Africa-Press – Mozambique. Mozambique has made efforts to improve security in the eastern districts of Cabo Delgado, in order to allow the major LNG projects to get back on track.
TotalEnergies announced force majeure on its Mozambique LNG project in April following a major attack on a nearby town. ExxonMobil has continued talking about its proposed Rovuma LNG project, but has pushed back the final investment decision (FID).
In the near term, the most notable development will be the arrival of the Coral Sul floating LNG (FLNG) project in Mozambique. The vessel is currently north of Reunion and Mauritius, on its way to Area 4 off Mozambique. It is due to arrive on January 5.
Progress
India is providing two fast interceptor vessels to Mozambique. An Indian naval vessel visited Maputo on December 25, providing 500 tonnes of food aid and defence equipment for the local armed forces.
Mozambique stepped up naval patrols around Cabo Delgado, a spokesman was quoted by local reports as saying earlier this month. Captain Carlos Cossa noted a deterrent impact on travel by terrorists and in improving security for Area 4.
The eastern Palma district is returning to normality, the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) said. Rwandan troops are enforcing security, it noted, and “Palma appears to be once again open for business.”
Mozambique has the aim of creating a secure enclave for natural gas projects, ACLED said. The NGO noted the progress was “at the mercy” of the Rwandan support. “With so much unknown about the arrangements between the two countries, it remains to be seen how long this period of relative prosperity will last in Palma.”
Extension despite losses
Southern African Development Community (SADC) troops arrived in Mozambique in July, at the same time as Rwandan forces.
South Africa’s armed forces reported on December 20 that a soldier had been killed in an ambush east of Chai village. The insurgents attacked forcing South African troops, shooting one dead. They also killed a number of Mozambique soldiers in the attack.
The South African National Defence Force recovered the body and repatriated it on December 23.
Eight countries have contributed troops to the SADC force: Angola, Botswana, Congo Kinshasa, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
The SADC mission to Mozambique had been due to end in mid-January. SADC is extending the mission, South Africa Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor has said.
SADC will continue supporting Mozambique “in achieving peace and security in some parts of the central and northern Cabo Delgado province”, Pandor said.
On the move
As the combination of local and foreign forces focus on Cabo Delgado, there are signs that the militancy is moving.
Insurgents have carried out attacks in Niassa Province, to the east of Cabo Deglado, triggering a displacement of local people. Furthermore, ACLED’s Cabo Ligado reported a night attack in Tanzania’s Mtwara region, just over the Ruvuma River. The attackers killed four civilians, ACLED said, but Tanzanian military forces drove them away.
Mozambique’s forces have not entirely won in Cabo Delgado either. The insurgency released pictures this week appearing to show materiel they had seized from South African Special Forces in Macomia.

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