Defence Minister Cristovao Chume told reporters on 26 June that the district of Mocimboa da Praia, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, is stable and free from terrorist attacks.
Mocimboa da Praia was the first target for islamist raids, in October 2017, when police facilities in the district came under attack. Later, Mocimboa town was occupied, and for several months became the main base for the terrorists in the province. But, as of mid-2021, the town has been back in government hands, due to an offensive by the Mozambican defence and security forces, supported by a contingent from Rwanda, who drove the jihadists out and restored state authority.
Two years later, the destruction caused by the jihadists is still very visible. Key buildings, including the Mocimboa da Praia district hospital, suffered extensive damage which has not yet been repaired.
Chume warned against complacency, saying that, in matters of defence and security there is never any complete guarantee. "Events related to security can change from one moment to the next", he said at a press conference marking the end of a visit to the Northern Operational Theatre in Cabo Delgado. He went to the province to assess the security situation and was accompanied by over 40 journalists.
An alteration in security could be the work of just a handful of people. "It's enough for just one person to show up with a gun and to open fire in the midst of the population for us to talk about a security disturbance", said Chume.
Hence, the Mozambican forces are working to prevent any repeat of the events which led to the occupation of Mocimboa da Praia, or to the massive attack against the town of Palma in March 2021, where the jihadists murdered over 1,200 people. The defence and security forces, said the Minister, are "working with lessons learnt from the past".
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He pledged that the defence forces are continuing to design better solutions to stop the terrorists from reaching residential areas. In Palma and Mocimboa da Praia, the defence and security forces have gone onto the offensive to prevent the jihadists from approaching the main population centres. Stability would be ensured by an increased presence of troops.
Asked whether, in light of the improved security situation, the French oil and gas company, TotalEnergies, would shortly resume its project to build liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants, on the Afungi peninsula, in Palma, Chume declined to give any definitive answer. "I don't have any credible information about the return of Total", he said. "But I think you could see at the Total site in Afungi, the number of workers who are there, and the number of companies that are operating. This may indicate that Total might soon lift its state of force majeure. But I leave this to Total to answer".
The Mocimboa da Praia district authorities estimate at 68 per cent of the number of people displaced by the terrorists have now returned home and are developing their productive activities. Chume said that freedom of movement has been largely restored. People are travelling from Mocimboa da Praia to Palma, and even to the provincial capital, Pemba, without any restrictions in terms of security.
