Maputo — Mozambique's National Defence and Security Council (CNDS) on Wednesday urged the political and administrative authorities in the northern province of Cabo Delgado to speed up activities that will lead to the integration into normal life of people displaced from their homes by terrorist raids, but who are now returning in several Cabo Delgado districts.
According to a statement from President Filipe Nyusi's office, this was one of the recommendations from the CNDS meeting, which Nyusi chaired.
The CNDS is a body that advises the President on matters concerning national sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and the defence of the democratically established power.
The meeting called on the authorities in Cabo Delgado to guarantee the restoration of public services, and to provide humanitarian assistance to the population.
The meeting analysed the public order and security situation, particularly in the Northern and Central Operational Theatres.
The participants encouraged the defence and security forces to step up their combat actions, in order to eradicate the threat posed by the terrorist groups that have been active in Cabo Delgado since October 2017.
In recent months there has been a decline in the number of terrorist attacks, thanks to the offensives waged by the Mozambican forces and their allies from Rwanda and from the SADC Military Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM). The eradication of terrorism, the CNDS declared, will be a determinant factor for the development of the areas affected and of the country in general.
As for the Central Operational Theatre (basically Manica and Sofala provinces) the CNDS noted with satisfaction the definitive end to military hostilities and the consolidation of peace here, thanks to the collapse of the self-proclaimed Renamo Military Junta.
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The Junta was set up in 2019 to oppose Renamo leader Ossufo Momade, elected to head the party at a congress in January of that year. Junta leader Mariano Nhongo denounced Momade as "a traitor", and refused to recognise the peace agreement signed in August 2019 between Nhongo and President Nyusi.
Nhongo's men ran a low level campaign in Manica and Sofala, mostly against traffic using the main roads. Several dozen people died in this campaign, but eventually it ran out of steam as Junta supporters drifted away to accept the demobilisation offered by the government.
Nhongo died in a clash with the defence and security forces in October 2021, and since then there has been no sign of further activity by the Junta.
Nonetheless, the CNDS called on the public "to step up vigilance in your communities to avoid situations that might endanger order and security".
The CNDS urged the government to continue the "Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration" process (DDR) which should cover all members of the Renamo militia, including former members of the Junta.
