This page provides summaries and excerpts from media articles, reports, statements and general information related to gas projects in Mozambique.

 

30 September 2024 / Reclaim Finance
TotalEnergies and financial markets: Financial institutions engaged for decades of pollution

A new briefing published by Reclaim Finance reveals how banks and investors are providing increasingly long-term support for TotalEnergies – allowing it to continue its fossil fuel expansion strategy for decades.

  •  TotalEnergies has successfully issued bonds worth US$7.25 billion over the past 6 months with the help of Bank of America, BPCE / Natixis, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, JP Morgan, Mizuho, Morgan Stanley, MUFG, Santander, SMBC, Société Générale and Standard Chartered.
  • These bonds have increasingly long maturities with an average of 22 years between 2020 and 2024, compared with an average length of 6 years between 2000 and 2004. The most recent bonds extend to 2064!
  • While fewer and fewer banks are willing to finance oil and gas projects directly, the money raised by the bonds can be used to finance these projects. For example, the EACOP project is partly financed with shareholder equity – money that may have come from the bond market.
  • Last May, BNP Paribas and Crédit Agricole announced that they would no longer participate in conventional bonds in the oil and gas sector. Other major banks should follow suit as a matter of urgency.

Reclaim Finance is calling on all banks and investors to urgently commit to stop participating in the issuance and purchase of new bonds from TotalEnergies, as well as to stop all support for companies developing new oil and gas projects.
Read the briefing

26 September 2024 / Joint NGO Statement
Call for investigation into reports of atrocities committed near TotalEnergies’ Mozambique LNG premises

Politico published an investigative article that alleges severe human rights abuses committed in 2021 by public security forces near the premises of TotalEnergies’ Mozambique LNG project. Following this, a joint NGO call was made for an official investigation into the events reported.
Joint NGO statement: English, Italian, French, Portuguese, Japanese

26 September 2024 / Politico
European lawmakers condemn atrocities at French energy giant’s African fortress

The article reports: “European lawmakers, human rights organizations and lawyers reacted with outrage to POLITICO’s investigation into the massacre of civilians at a gas plant in Mozambique owned by TotalEnergies.”
Original article

26 September 2024 / Politico
Article: “All must be beheaded: Allegations of atrocities at French energy giant’s African stronghold”

An article published in Politico outlines alleged events in July-September 2021, three months after a major insurgent attack on Palma town that spurred increased militarisation of the region. According to the article, Mozambican troops assaulted hundreds of civilians who were seeking safety, and imprisoned the men in windowless, metal shipping containers near the entrance of the Mozambique LNG site. The article reports that men – 180 to 250 individuals – were detained for 3 months, denied water, starved, beaten, suffocated, tortured, stabbed and, finally, most of them “disappeared”. Only 26 of the prisoners are estimated by the investigation team to have survived. Women were subjected to humiliation and repeated sexual assault for a day or two, before being released.
Original article: English; French

16 September 2024 / The Telegraph
Labour accused of double standards over Africa gas pipeline

The Telegraph reports on opposition to a consideration underway by UK Export Finance (UKEF) regarding an investment of up to USD 1.15 billion in the Mozambique LNG project.
Access the article here

12 September 2024 / Club of Mozambique
Mozambique: EUTM-MOZ closes after training marines and commandos – AIM

The article reports: “Although the EUTM-MOZ has reached the end of its mission, cooperation between the Mozambican government and the European Union is continuing under an agreement signed in August setting up the European Union Military Assistance Mission in Mozambique (EUMAM-MOZ), which will continue until 30 June 2026.”
Access the article here

11 September 2024 / Tax Justice Network
New report: How “greenlaundering” conceals the full scale of fossil fuel financing

This report examines the fossil fuel financing provided by the 60 largest global banks, exploring how funds are strategically channelled through “secrecy jurisdictions.” These type of tax havens, specialized in financial secrecy, allow firms to obscure their activities and ownership structures from the public. Fossil fuel company subsidiaries appear to be deliberately established in secrecy jurisdictions to take advantage of weak transparency regulations and favourable tax regimes. The report also offers indicative evidence of how these structures benefit both fossil fuel companies and their financiers – at the expense of the climate and a liveable future for us all.
Access the report here

02 September 2024 / Zitamar News
Mocímboa shooting breaks a two-year peace

The article reports shootings between Rwandan military and insurgents.
Access the article here

02 September 2024 / LNGPrime
ExxonMobil’s Rovuma LNG moves to FEED stage

The article reports that ExxonMobil and its partners have launched the front-end engineering design (FEED) phase for the onshore facilities of Rovuma LNG project.
Access the article here

30 August 2024 / Club of Mozambique
Mozambique: Eni, ENH sign contract for new offshore block in Angoche basin

A consortium formed by Eni and ENH is awarded exploration rights in the Angoche A6-C Offshore area, in Nampula province.
Access the article here

28 August 2024 / Club of Mozambique
Mozambique: Defence Ministry and Eni assess activities in Rovuma

The article reports on a meeting between the Mozambican Minister of National Defence the Managing Director of Eni Rovuma Basin.
Access the article here

22 August 2024 / Cabo Ligado Update: 05-18 August 2024
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground

The Rwandan offensive in Macomia district continued in August, with aerial bombing concentrated on the coastal administrative post of Mucojo, which has experienced repeated bombardment. Rwandan troops are present around the N380 highway to confront insurgents moving west to escape the offensive.  On 8 August, Mucojo was reported to be “in ashes” due to the intensity of aerial attacks, raising fears of civilian casualties. On 16 August, Mucojo was bombed once again, with local sources reporting that many civilians had sought refuge in Macomia town. Some civilians were said to be fearful of reprisals by government troops once they take back control of the coast and are fleeing from the advancing security forces. By 16 August, hundreds of troops of the Mozambique Defense Armed Forces had been deployed to Ibo island, over 30 kilometers south of Mucojo, possibly in advance of another phase of the offensive. Insurgent activity continues.

  • The case of the disappearance of journalist, Ibraimo Mbaruco, was formally closed by the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Cabo Delgado province. Mbaruco disappeared on the evening of 7 April 2020, saying in his last text communication that he was “surrounded by military forces.”
  • Senior officials from Mozambique’s Ministry of National Defence are under investigation for embezzling MZN52.3 million ($826 thousand).

Access report here

22 August 2024 / Club of Mozambique
Regulator greenlights sale of Galp stake in Rovuma LNG to ADNOCe

The article reports: “The Mozambican Competition Regulatory Authority (ARC) is not opposed to the sale of Galp’s position in the consortium that is searching for natural gas in the Rovuma basin to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company ADNOC, a €586 million deal, following public consultation on the operation. The regulator  says that the transaction “will not affect the structure of the natural gas extraction and liquefaction markets, nor the wholesale of LNG.” The operation consists of ADNOC International, a subsidiary that is 100% owned by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), acquiring “exclusive control over Galp Energia Rovuma”, which is currently held by Galp Energia, Portugal Holdings and Galp East Africa.
Original article here

21 August 2024 / Club of Mozambique
President Nyusi calls for cautious management of LNG megaprojects

Club of Mozambique reports: “Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi has called for cautious management of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) megaprojects, taking into account the strengthening of security conditions in those regions where they are installed, especially in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.The President also called on Mozambican institutions to participate in the production of these resources, since currently they are largely owned by foreign companies. He pointed out that so far the only functioning natural gas mega-project is the Coral Sul floating platform – and the money that has come in from Coral Sul “isn’t even enough to build a road from Maputo city to Xai-Xai, capital of Gaza province” (a distance of around 210 kilometres). According to Nyusi, the INP must strengthen Mozambique’s image as a destination for investments in the petroleum sector, facilitating the entry of concessionary companies and maintaining those already established in the country.”

Original article here

19 August 2024 / Oil and Gas Report
Final Investment Decision for Rovuma LNG delayed to 2026

The article reports that ExxonMobil has postponed the Final Investment Decision for the proposed Rovuma LNG project to likely 2026. This is the third time in five years that the FID has been postponed.
Original article here

08 August 2024 / Cabo Ligado Update: 22 July – 04 August 2024
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground

In late July, Rwanda Security Forces (RSF) launched a major offensive into Macomia district, concentrating on the Catupa forest and the coast, while insurgents clashed with Mozambican and Tanzanian troops in Nangade district. Naval forces also engaged insurgents along the coast.

  • China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has joined with the TPDF and the Defense Armed Forces of Mozambique, in joint military exercises.
  • On July 31, Bernardino Rafael, the commander of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique, apologized to the population of Macomia district, Cabo Delgado province, for abuses committed by the Defence and Security Forces (FDS).
  • Portuguese army Brigadier-General Luís Fernando Machado Barroso will lead the EU Military Training Mission in Mozambique from September 2024 to June 2026, focusing on training Mozambique’s special forces, known as the Quick Reaction Force.

Access report here

24 July 2024 / Agência de Informação de Moçambique (AIM)
Fisherman kidnapped by terrorists in Mocímboa Da Praia

AIM reports that a fisherman was kidnapped by insurgents on Monday, 22 July 2024. The man, who is from Kalugo village, Mocímboa da Praia district, was fishing with 3 other men off Lucheti and Kalugo villages. “A military source, cited by the paper, said that the Mozambican defence and security forces have no doubt that the terrorists have some active bases in the Mucojo administrative post, specifically along the banks of the Messalo river.
Original article here

24 July 2024 / Cabo Ligado Update: 08-21 July 2024
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground
  • Insurgent activity is reported in a number of villages and districts.
  • Food security is an increasing concern, with farmers unable to grow food on account of safety concerns, and many “now relying on a meagre diet of sweet potatoes and cassava”. Displaced people are also affected by food shortages.
  • In Macomia, tensions are high between civilians and Mozambican Defense and Security Forces (FDS), and there are calls for the FDS to withdraw from the area. A riot on 09 July 2024 resulted in the deaths of at least 2 soldiers. The riot followed the killing of a civilian by a soldier the previous evening, which the Ministry of Defence says was “accidental”. During the riot, security forces attempted to disperse the crowd with live fire, prompting people to flee into the woods. There has been ongoing tension between civilians and FDS, with forces reported of extortion, arbitrary detention, and other abuse.
  • A new report from Save The Children reveals that girls are being kidnapped by armed groups, sexually abused, and forced to marry. Several girls have since returned with babies. The research carried out in Chiúre and Palma districts between 20 November and 04 December 2023, also reveals the role that economic vulnerability in conflict areas is also leading to child marriage within families that struggle to meet basic needs.

Access report here

20 July 2024 / Hindu Businessline
Cost escalation of Mozambique LNG project likely around $3.5-4 billion: BPCL

Hindu Businessline reports that Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) said it expects a cost escalation of $3.5-4 billion in the Mozambique LNG project. “BPCL’s total investment commitment in BRPL is around ₹39,358 crore as of June 2024. Majority is through borrowings. It has also invested an equity of around ₹10,700 crore.”
Original article here

19 July 2024 / Club of Mozambique
Mozambique: IMF expects resumption of TotalEnergies LNG project this year

Club of Mozambique reports: “The International Monetary Fund (IMF) anticipates the resumption of TotalEnergies’ liquefied natural gas (LNG) megaproject in Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique, this year (2024), with first exports within four years.”
Original article here

17 July 2024 / Financial Times
Total hands security contract for $20bn Mozambique gas project to Rwandan state-linked business

The Financial Times reports that a security company backed by Rwanda’s ruling party has been hired to guard Mozambique LNG project. “Isco Segurança, a joint venture between Rwanda’s Isco Global Limited and a local Mozambican company, is providing unarmed guarding services at the $20bn liquefied natural gas development in Cabo Delgado province.”
Original article here

12 July 2024 / Channel Africa
Botswana President on State visit to Mozambique

Channel Africa reports that President Mokgweetsi Masisi expressed Botswana’s willingness to continue supporting Mozambique in Cabo Delgado. President Filipe Nyusi said Botswana is training Mozambican troops. The two Heads of State held a private meeting, followed by a joint session with delegations.
Original article here

11 July 2024 / Cabo Ligado Update: 24 June to 07 July 2024
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground

Insurgent activity was minimal in this period, with ACLED recording just four political violence events. Insurgents appear to be present on Palma district mainland for the first time since February 2023.

  • SAMIM officially concludes mission in Cabo Delgado: Defense Minister Cristóvão Chume stated that the joint efforts of SAMIM and Mozambican security forces had inflicted significant casualties on the insurgents. However, he acknowledged ongoing insurgent attacks and persistent insecurity among the population.
  • Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) establishes in Macomia district: The RDF has deployed 2,000 soldiers and police. The size of the new contingent matches the force provided by SAMIM.
  • Tanzanian force to remain in Cabo Delgado: President Filipe Nyusi confirmed that Tanzania will continue to operate its 300-strong force in the province’s northern district of Nangade, under a bilateral agreement with Mozambique.
  • France prepared to strengthen cooperation on security and counter-terrorism with Mozambique: President Emmanuel Macron said France is ready to strengthen cooperation with Mozambique on security and counter-terrorism. The European Union remains undecided on the question of providing an additional €20m to fund Rwanda’s military intervention in Cabo Delgado.
  • Magistrate highlights persistently high acquittal rate of suspected insurgents: In 2019, 37 people were convicted on terrorism charges and another 100 were acquitted, mostly due to lack of evidence. In 2023, 74 people were indicted and only two were convicted.

Access report here

11 July 2024 / Voice of America News
Botswana pledges continued support for Mozambique after regional troops leave

VOA News reports: “Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi has promised to continue supporting Mozambique in its fight against violent extremism in the oil-and-gas rich province of Cabo Delgado, even after the imminent departure of southern African troops from the troubled region. Botswana is the second country, following Tanzania to pledge continued support for Mozambique after the departure of troops from SADC, the Southern African Development Community. “
Original article here

10 July 2024 / Moz24horas
Macomia: Military kills civilians, civilians kill 2 military

Moz24Horas reports that a local merchant was killed by the military on the night of 09 July 2024. Subsequently, two military personnel were killed and their bodies burned. The military shot at civilians, forcing people to take refuge in the forest. This follows an incident a week ago when a taxi driver was killed by the military.
Original article here

09 July 2024 / Investing in Climate Chaos 2024
Press release / Urgewald

Institutional Investors $4.3 Trillion Deep Into the Fossil Fuel Industry

The 2024 edition of Investing in Climate Chaos was released. This is a website that reveals the fossil fuel holdings of over 7,500 institutional investors worldwide. Institutional investors currently hold $4.3 trillion in bonds and shares of fossil fuel companies. These investments are held by pension funds, insurance companies, asset managers, hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds, endowment funds and asset management arms of commercial banks.

Climate scientists have long warned that a speedy phase-out of fossil fuels is our only hope of avoiding tipping points that lead to an unmanageable climate breakdown. “If institutional investors continue backing companies that are still expanding their coal, oil and gas operations, it will be impossible to phase out fossil fuels in time. Investors need to draw a red line on fossil fuel expansion and they need to do it now,” says Katrin Ganswindt, head of financial research at Urgewald

Investors and asset managers from 10 countries are responsible for 91% of institutional investments in the fossil fuel industry. These countries are the US, Canada, Japan, the UK, India, China, Norway, Switzerland, France and Germany.

According to the London Stock Exchange Group around $3.2 trillion in outstanding debt of high-carbon companies is coming up for refinancing in the coming years. The question is, will institutional investors continue snapping up bonds of companies like Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil or TotalEnergies whose business model relies on heating up the planet? Or will pension funds, insurers and asset managers realize that these investments will produce more heat waves, more catastrophic floods, more climate disasters?

Access Investing in Climate Chaos 2024.

09 July 2024 / Financial Exclusions Tracker

A list of companies that have been publicly excluded by financial institutions, for reasons ranging from human rights violations to environmental impact and other sustainability issues.

This website contains information about the financial exclusions by 87 financial institutions in 16 countries, covering 4842 companies from 120 countries. It publishes otherwise scattered information in one place, and provides a searchable database of thousands of excluded companies and hundreds of investors and banks. The database provides valuable information for financial analysts, ESG analysts, media and civil society. The organisations working on this project are Rainforest Action Network, PAX, Profundo, Forests & Finance, Both ENDS, Fair Finance International, Health Funds for a Smokefree Netherlands, BankTrack, Environmental Paper Network and Milieudefensie/Friends of the Earth NL.
Access the Financial Exclusions Tracker.

27 June 2024 / Cabo Ligado Update: 27 May to 23 June 2024
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground

Islamic State Mozambique (ISM) suffered a severe setback on 29 May when an attempted assault on Mbau in Mocímboa da Praia was repelled by the Rwanda Security Forces (RSF), with insurgents suffering significant losses. Reports suggest that the RSF killed at least 11 and up to 70 ISM fighters. Since then, there has been reduced activity by both ISM and security forces, with the exception of a small insurgent party reaching Cabo Delgado province’s southern districts of Mecufi and Chiúre and staging minor attacks.

  • The European Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL) announced on 14 June the dismantling of “critical online infrastructure” used by Islamic State (IS) for “propaganda, recruitment, and radicalization.” This was through joint operations since 2022 conducted by EUROPOL itself, Spain’s Guardia Civil, and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. The operations are the likely cause of the greatly reduced number of IS telegram channels in recent months.
  • Cabo Delgado is planning to establish rehabilitation centers in the districts of Mocímboa da Praia, Macomia, and Muidumbe for former insurgents. They will be run by the government and the International Organisation for Migration without the presence of state security forces as they often deter insurgents from turning themselves in.
  • The European Union is considering a new request for financial support for Rwandan forces fighting the insurgency in Cabo Delgado, the European Commissioner for International Relations, Jutta Urpilainen, announced during a visit to Maputo. Any further funding would build on the previous approval of 20 million euros in 2023.

Access report here

28 June 2024 / Africa Intelligence
Rwandan firms flourish in Cabo Delgado thanks to TotalEnergies

Africa Intelligence reports that Kigali’s military intervention to help secure gas projects in northern Mozambique is paying dividends for Rwandan construction firms. French major TotalEnergies has hired Rwanda’s Radar Scape and French oil services firm Ponticelli to build a 5MW solar power plant in the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado. Radar Scape is an entity of Crystal Ventures, the investment company of Rwandan president Paul Kagame’s Rwandan Patriotic Front. Radar Scape already has a contract worth several million dollars with Ifpelac, a training institute supported by TotalEnergies to take care of the maintenance of accommodation built to rehouse people who had been living near the Afungi peninsula where the French energy giant’s liquefaction trains are located.

Original article here

28 June 2024 / Cabo Ligado Monthly: May 2024
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report on conflict in Cabo Delgado
  • ACLED records 31 insurgency-related political violence events in Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces in May, resulting in at least 55 fatalities
  • Of these events, 30 were incidents involving ISM, almost half of which targeted civilians
  • ISM attacked and occupied Macomia district headquarters for at least 24 hours
  • Rwandan forces continued to clash with ISM in Nampula province
  • Rwanda deploys up to 2,000 extra troops to Cabo Delgado province

Political violence spread through northern Mozambique in May, with Islamic State Mozambique (ISM) active from Palma district in the north of Cabo Delgado province to Erati district in Nampula province to the south. The most significant event of the month was ISM’s invasion and occupation of Macomia town on 10 May. ISM attackers drove away Mozambican forces, looted the town, and returned to the coast with vehicles, food, and other looted goods. The attack took advantage of a gap between the withdrawal of Southern Africa Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) troops, who left the town in the days before the attack, and the arrival of Rwandan Security Forces (RSF) as their replacement. North of Macomia, Rwandan forces clashed with ISM in southern Mocimboa da Praia district. Further south, operations by the Defense Armed Forces of Mozambique (FADM) and the RSF continued at the start of the month, forcing ISM fighters out of Nampula’s Erati district and into Chiúre district in southern Cabo Delgado.

Access report here

19 June 2024 / Reuters
French Senate urges government to buy ‘golden share’ in TotalEnergies

Reuters reports that a non-binding Senate report recommends that the French government should buy a “golden share” in TotalEnergies to have a say in strategic company decisions, including aligning its activities with the Paris Climate Accord and vetoing any potential move to the U.S.The report follows nearly six months of hearings by a special commission on whether TotalEnergies’ global activities are aligned with France’s own climate objectives.

Original article here

19 June 2024 / Africa Intelligence
Mozambique LNG: US election thwarts TotalEnergies’ plans

Africa Intelligence reports: US election uncertainty has frozen Exim Bank’s decision on resuming financing of the Mozambique LNG project, but the French major could decide to dispense with their support for now.

Original article here

16 June 2024 / Al Jazeera
Double attack’: The curse of natural gas and armed groups in Mozambique

Al Jazeera reports: As Cabo Delgado province juggles large LNG reserves and ongoing violence, vulnerable civilians are paying the price. The investigative article lays out the links between the security situation, human rights abuses, humanitarian crisis, and gas developments. It draws attention to the situation of civilians who have lived in a state of fear and uncertainty for many years.

Original article here

13 June 2024 / UNOCHA
Five things you need to know about El Niño-induced drought in Southern Africa

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reports that urgent action is needed to save the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in Southern Africa. More than 61 million people in Southern Africa now require urgent humanitarian assistance. People are enduring staggering levels of food insecurity, acute malnutrition, water scarcity and disease outbreaks. Drought has destroyed harvests in a region where 70 per cent of the population relies on agriculture to survive. The worst-affected areas include south-east Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, parts of Madagascar, southern Malawi, central Mozambique, northern Namibia, central South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The El Niño event has ended, but its impact will have tragic consequences for months to come. Increased water scarcity continues to affect agriculture and livestock.

Original article here

06 June 2024 / Press release
Activists exposed the US Export-Import Bank’s rogue financing of overseas fossil fuel projects at the bank’s annual conference on 6-7 June 2024.

In the past year alone, EXIM funneled almost $1.5 billion in public dollars to overseas fossil fuels projects, most recently approving a $500 million loan for over 400 upstream oil and gas wells in Bahrain, drawing backlash in the US Senate and resignations from two members of EXIM’s climate advisory board. EXIM is now considering reapproving a highly controversial, multi-billion dollar gas project in Mozambique that is a target of violent insurgency. If financed, it would result in emissions estimated to exceed half that of Saudi Arabia.

EXIM is also looking to approve $660 million for a gas project in Guyana that has been described as “unnecessary and financially unstable,” and a contentious gas project in Papua New Guinea that eight other banks have refused to finance.

Kate DeAngelis, Senior International Finance Program Manager, Friends of the Earth U.S.: “EXIM is using its annual meeting to greenwash its image as it ignores the billions that it has financed in fossil fuel projects both domestically and abroad. In reality, EXIM’s fossil fuel investments have resulted in nothing but death and environmental destruction.”

Anabela Lemos, Justiça Ambiental / Friends of the Earth Mozambique: “The Mozambique LNG project, funded by Exim and operated by TotalEnergies, has brought no benefits to its host country since operations began, and offers low revenues to the country’s government and poor work and development opportunities to its civilians. It has resulted in the impoverishment of hundreds of families through forced resettlement to lands where they cannot conduct their livelihoods. Local socio-economic conditions are worsened by the gas projects, and this is fuelling the insurgency. Exim has blood on its hands by taking away the ability of people to support their families.”

30 May 2024 / Institute for Security Studies (IIS)
SAMIM withdrawal from Cabo Delgado: uncomfortable truths

The article discusses some of the complexities around the SADC forces in Mozambique and their imminent withdrawal. It concludes: “SAMIM’s withdrawal reflects a political and diplomatic failure for the region. Beyond IS’ propaganda claim of defeating the SADC mission, some truths must be acknowledged. SAMIM didn’t achieve a battlefield victory. Instead, it stabilised vital parts of the province by displacing rather than neutralising insurgents. In the absence of a comprehensive counter-insurgency strategy and with time on their side, IS has manoeuvred to fight another day in Mozambique.”
Original article here

30 May 2024 / Cabo Ligado Update: 13 May to 26 May 2024
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground

Following Islamic State Mozambique’s (ISM) assault on Macomia town on 10 May, insurgents in Cabo Delgado province have largely kept a low profile. Aside from two attacks claimed by ISM, the most notable development was the return of insurgents to the northern Nangade district on the Tanzanian border, where they have not been active since 2022.

The reconfiguration of state forces continues in Cabo Delgado. Following the departure of the South Africa contingent from their base near Macomia town, there are now no SAMIM troops left in Macomia district, while the expansion of RSF troop numbers is underway. Meanwhile, the European Union has adjusted its support to the Defense Armed Forces of Mozambique (FADM), pivoting to an advisory rather than training role, while Maputo continues to lobby for increased counterinsurgency support from the bloc.

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi was in Kigali from 16-17 May. Security issues were the main agenda in at least four rounds of talks with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, as well as talks with TotalEnergies CEO Paul Pouyanné, and Claudio Descalzi, CEO of Italian oil company ENI. Though it has been known for some time that the RSF’s troop numbers would increase, the extent of the expansion is not yet fully clear. President Nyusi stated that the current deployment of 2,500 troops was to be increased but did not give a figure. Rwanda Defence Force spokesperson Brigadier General Ronald Rwivanga was reported on 28 May as saying that over 2,000 troops had already been sent to Cabo Delgado. For Cabo Ligado, Zitamar News calculated that up to 1,500 troops came in on seven flights between 15 and 28 May.

Reaction to RSF’s expansion has been mixed. According to local sources, they remain popular with the general population in Palma and Mocímboa da Praia districts. However, their presence and expansion have met criticism in the capital.

Minister for National Defense Cristóvão Chume was in Brussels lobbying for both the supply of lethal weaponry to Mozambique and further support to underpin the expanded Rwandan mission. Prior to this, on 14 May, the European Council announced the extension of military support to Mozambique until 30 June 2026. The current European Union Training Mission to Mozambique (EUTMM) will become the European Union Military Advisory Mission to Mozambique.

Access report here

24 May 2024 / Agência de Informação de Moçambique (AIM)
Authorities capture four terrorists in Mocímboa da Praia

AIM reports that “Mozambican Defence Forces and their allies captured four Islamist terrorists, on Tuesday, on the outskirts of Mocímboa da Praia town, in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado. According to Friday’s issue of the independent newsheet “Carta de Moçambique”, the capture of these terrorists counted on the help of Rwandan soldiers.”
Original article here

22 May 2024 / Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC)
Press Release: ADNOC to Acquire 10% Equity Stake in Major LNG Development in Mozambique

ADNOC announced its acquisition of Galp’s 10% interest in the Area 4 concession of the Rovuma Basin in Mozambique which will entitle ADNOC to a share of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) production from the concession, which has a combined production capacity exceeding 25 million tonnes per annum (mtpa).The Area 4 concession includes the operational Coral South Floating LNG (FLNG) facility, the planned Coral North FLNG development and the planned Rovuma LNG onshore facilities. This strategic investment is ADNOC’s first in Mozambique.

Access the press release

22 May 2024 / Cabo Ligado Monthly: April 2024
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report on conflict in Cabo Delgado
  • ACLED records 26 insurgency-related political violence events in Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces in April, resulting in at least 44 fatalities
  • Of these events, 15 were incidents targeting civilians, resulting in 22 reported fatalities
  • After Eid el-Fitr, ISM activity drove a return to pre-Ramadan levels of political violence in April
  • ISM targeted civilians in 12 events concentrated in southern Cabo Delgado province, and the north of Nampula province
  • Mozambique’s Defense and Security Forces targeted civilians in three out of the 13 political events involving them.

Islamic State Mozambique (ISM) was active in April from Palma in the north of Cabo Delgado province to Erati and Memba districts in Nampula province to the south. This expanded geographic range came in the same month as Botswana and South Africa began to withdraw their troops serving with the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM). The push south began in Quissanga district at the start of the month and culminated three weeks later in Nampula province. ISM met no resistance until Nampula, illustrating the scale of the threat the group presents as SAMIM withdraws.

In Macomia district, the Defense Armed Forces of Mozambique (FADM) and the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) undertook aerial operations against ISM positions between Quiterajo and Mucojo on the coast. During the operations, a light aircraft came down, killing the South African pilot and an accompanying PRM officer. It is unclear what caused the plane to come down. Though Islamic State claimed to have downed a “helicopter,” a crash is more likely. The deceased pilot had worked with the Dyck Advisory Group (DAG) in 2020 when it had a contract with PRM. DAG claimed that the operation last month had “nothing to do with us,” and that he was operating independently. The incident suggests that such support is still seen as an option by the PRM at least.

Access report here

20 May 2024 / Zitamar News
Inside the new security deal between Mozambique and gas project investors

Zitamar News reports: The Mozambican military force responsible for protecting the international gas projects on the Afungi peninsula in Cabo Delgado province is no longer being paid directly by private companies. Under a new agreement signed by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, companies involved in the liquefied natural gas projects led by TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil pay a subsidy to the government of Mozambique, rather than straight into the accounts of JTF soldiers. The JTF can no longer rely on civilian logistical infrastructure, forcing the Mozambican government to invest in additional transport and communications support. The force is also no longer based inside the main project camp at Afungi, and officers cannot eat in facilities reserved for civilian personnel. Internal camp security is provided by private companies, such as the Rwandan firm ISCO.

Access the original article

17 May 2024 / TXF News
Mozambique LNG: When will funds be disbursed?

TXF News reports that discussions around the financing of TotalEnergies’ Mozambique LNG project have resumed but financiers are reticent to make commitments given the ongoing violence in the region. Discussions have not resumed on the financing of Rovuma LNG project, which was also put on hold in 2021 due to the violence. The article reports: Financing conditions for the project have changed significantly since it first came to market. Rising interest rates, increasing pressure on ECAs to drop all fossil fuels and ongoing security concerns about Mozambique are major hurdles.

Access the original article

16 May 2024 / Cabo Ligado Update: 29 April to 12 May 2024
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground

On 10 May, Islamic State Mozambique (ISM) insurgents launched a multi-pronged assault on the strategically significant town of Macomia in Cabo Delgado, marking one of their most daring operations since the attack on Palma in March 2021. Elsewhere, Rwanda Security Forces (RSF) successfully expelled insurgents from Nampula province.

  • Much of the civilian population fled into the woods when the fighting began.
    Human Rights Watch reported that the insurgent group included “dozens” of child soldiers.
  • A South African convoy dispatched from Pemba to respond was ambushed by insurgents around 20 kilometers from Macomia.
  • It is unclear how many were killed in the attack – one local source reported at least 10 fatalities and another claimed there were up to 23 fatalities. A Local Force commander was among the dead.
  • Healthcare charity Médecins Sans Frontières said it had relocated some of its staff and suspended itslocal activities following the attack.
  • Some district authorities remain unreachable while health and education services in the town are no longer functioning.
  • At least six humanitarian organizations reported damage or losses in the attack, including the theft of vehicles and clothing bearing humanitarian logos, causing concern that insurgents may be able to pose as aid workers.

The insurgents who attacked Nampula province at the end of April were forced back acrossthe Lúrio river into Cabo Delgado by a Rwandan-led operation.

  • The village of Nacoja in Chiúre district was attacked on 3 May.
  • Two days later the nearby village of Siripa was attacked.
  • On 11 May a member of the Naparama local militia was killed in Missufine village in Ancuabe district and homes were burnt.

In Mocímboa da Praia district, the RSF led another operation against insurgents in early May, around the villages of Calugo and Lucete. Carta de Moçambique reported that the Rwandans killed up to five insurgents, captured three more, and recovered a boat used to carry looted food.

ISM’s successful assault on Macomia district headquarters on 10 May was well-timed. The previous day SAMIM’s South Africa contingent withdrew most of its vehicles from its base north of the town, and a significant aid delivery was made to warehouses in the town. The complexity of the operation, though, suggests that the attack was not wholly opportunistic. State forces, national and international, do not seem to have put as much thought into the town’s defense. There have been rumors of a likely assault on Macomia since February. So soon after the attack, it remains difficult to reconstruct the actions of the various forces. DefenceWeb’s report indicates that SAMIM did not take offensive actions against ISM.

A reliable source in the province claims that ISM leaders in Mucojo said at a meeting on 12 May that after the success of Macomia, the towns of Mocímboa da Praia, Palma, Meluco, Metuge, and Ancuabe were potential future targets.

Access report here

14 May 2024 / News24
SA-led SAMIM leaves Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado after some success, but a job not yet completed

The article discusses the planned mid-2024 withdrawal of the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM), which was deployed in mid 2021 shortly after a massive insurgent attack on Palma town, near the TotalEnergies-led Mozambique LNG project. It reports on the relationships between different military forces brought in to Cabo Delgado, and exposes some of the challenges in coordination.
Original article here

13 May 2024 / Banking on Climate Chaos
Release of the 2024 Banking On Climate Chaos Report and website

The Banking on Climate Chaos report remains the most comprehensive analysis of the top 60 banks by asset size financing of fossil fuel companies. The report includes the lending and underwriting totals for these top 60 banks, globally; covering 4,228 companies with fossil fuel business, 10 unconventional sectors, and companies expanding fossil fuels. Through movement support, BOCC 2024 was endorsed by 589 organizations from 69 countries.

Key findings:

  • The world’s 60 largest private banks financed fossil fuels with $6.9 trillion USD since the Paris Agreement was adopted. Banks provided $705 billion in financing to fossil fuel companies in 2023.
  • JPMorgan Chase is the top financier of fossil fuels in 2023, by $40.8 billion worth.
  • Mizuho ranks as the second worst, providing $37.1 billion, while Bank of America is in third place.
  • The worst funder of fossil fuel expansion since the Paris Agreement is Citibank, providing $204.5 billion since 2016.

Access the report.

10 May 2024 / News24
Mozambique’s president confirms Cabo Delgado town under Islamist attack

News24 reports that Mozambique’s President has conformed that Macomia Town in Cabo Delgado is under insurgent attack, stating “The attack appears to be the most serious in the region for some time, and comes as a SADC force starts to withdraw.”
Original article here

06 May 2024 / OilPrice.com
TotalEnergies Investigated for Involuntary Manslaughter in Mozambique LNG Attack

The article reports: French prosecutors have opened an investigation into supermajor TotalEnergies for possible involuntary manslaughter for failing to protect its subcontractors during a deadly attack in Mozambique close to a planned LNG project. The investigation of the French prosecutors was launched this weekend following a legal complaint filed last year by survivors of the attacks and families of the victims.”
Original article here

03 May 2024 / Cabo Ligado Update: 15-28 April 2024
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground

In the last fortnight of April, Islamic State Mozambique (ISM) launched its second offensive into the southern districts of Cabo Delgado province in 2024, with fighters crossing into Nampula province and launching the first attacks south of the Lúrio river since October 2022. The attacks in Nampula were the first in the province in just over 18 months. As before, insurgents targeted rural communities in the north of the province. ISM started their move south towards the end of Ramadhan, joining Eid el-Fitr celebrations in Cagembe in Quissanga district. They then moved on to Tapara and Bilibiza before pushing south through Ancuabe and Chiúre districts and on to Nampula. Over 40,000 residents were displaced between 17 and 29 April in Ancuabe and Chiúre districts. Insurgent progress south through Cabo Delgado and into Nampula met little resistance from state forces.

  • Voter registration levels reflect impact of the conflict: The Center for Public Integrity reports that voter registration in Cabo Delgado province is highest in the districts of Ibo, Pemba, Metuge, and Mueda, which host many displaced people who are likely using the registration process to replace lost identification documents. Registration is low in Palma and Mocímboa da Praia, suggesting many still have not yet returned, and it is even lower in Macomia, Muidumbe, and Quissanga districts, which have seen recent fighting.
  • Frelimo donates two million meticais to the Local Force: The cheque was given to the Local Force commander along with more than 50 tonnes of supplies, including corn flour, beans, sugar, cooking oil, salt, and soap. The Local Force is made up largely of veterans of the Mozambican War of Independence and their families.
  • Amnesty International’s State of the World’s Human Rights report published this month highlights war crimes committed in Cabo Delgado by the insurgency, Mozambican security forces, and SAMIM.
  • The South African National Defence Force’s deployment to Cabo Delgado is authorised until December 2024, a move that was explained as a formality to ensure legal coverage of any South African troops who may remain after the end of SAMIM on 15 July.

Access report here

02 May 2024 / Reuters
ExxonMobil pushing forward with Mozambique LNG project, official says

Reuters reports: “ExxonMobil is “optimistic and pushing forward” with its delayed Rovuma liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Mozambique and expects a final investment decision at the end of next year, a company official said on Thursday. The project, initially slated for 15 million metric tons per annum (mtpa), has been redesigned to a new modular, electric LNG 18 mtpa plant that offers more flexibility and produces less harmful emissions.”
Original article here

29 April 2024 / LNG Prime
TotalEnergies CEO: Mozambique LNG restart is not a matter of costs

LNG Prime reports that TotalEnergies CEO, Patrick Pouyanne, said the restart of the Mozambique LNG project is a “matter of having the right conditions to lift the force majeure and to move on progressively”, and that delays are not related to costs. The article quotes Pouyanne saying: “The security in Cabo Delgado is okay. There is no incidents, no events. It’s well controlled. I will meet soon President Nyusi from Mozambique to review it with himself.”
Original article here

22 April 2024 / Africa Oil and Gas Report
Exxonmobil invites contractors for Rovuma LNG project

Africa Oil and Gas Report reports that ExxonMobil has launched tenders “for Front End Engineering Design for gas gathering and subsea as well as basic improvement in the installed camp facilities on its huge Rovuma LNG project in Mozambique.” The article says that the actual LNG plant is being contested by Saipem, Bechtel, and an alliance of JGC and Technip Energies.
Original article here

18 April 2024 / Cabo Ligado Update: 1-14 April 2024
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground

Security forces have attempted to regain the initiative since the start of April by launching an offensive
on the insurgent-held Macomia coast, around the town of Mucojo. ISM fighters dispersed across a wide area of Cabo Delgado in the wake of FDS operations.  ISM’s dispersal was predictable, and mostly unchecked. The operations by FADM did not discriminate between civilians and ISM fighters. There are well-founded concerns about the potential for civilian fatalities in these operations. Speaking to Radio Mocambique on 11 February about operations in Mucojo, Macomia District Administrator Tomás Badae stated that any civilians found in the area would be considered to be collaborators with the insurgents. It is not yet known how many fatalities there were. Meanwhile ISM killed at least four people in Quissanga district, with the end of Ramadan likely signalling a renewal of insurgent activity.

  • Most SAMIM forces withdraw from Cabo Delgado: SAMIM contingents from South Africa, Botswana, and Lesotho have officially announced their exit from Cabo Delgado, leaving Tanzania as the only partner with troops in the field, ahead of the mission’s official conclusion on 15 July. Botswana pulled out its forces on 5 April. South Africa mounted its farewell parade two days later, followed by Lesotho on 14 April. Cabo Ligado understands that a small South African presence remains in Muagumula, near Macomia town. The remaining Tanzanian forces in Nangade district also operate under a bilateral security agreement with Mozambique that is expected to continue after July.
  • A new report from the Rural Environment Observatory think tank (OMR) highlights how a lack of international humanitarian aid, and domestic social spending, which is being squeezed by increased defense spending, is worsening the plight of people living in Cabo Delgado.
  • Telegram clamps down on IS channels: In recent days, most of the Islamic State (IS) Telegram channels monitored by Cabo Ligado have been removed from Telegram. Telegram is thought to have started actively restricting such channels around the start of April.

Access report here

15 April 2024 / Cabo Ligado Monthly: March 2024
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report on conflict in Cabo Delgado
  • ACLED records nine political violence events in Cabo Delgado in March, resulting in at least 21 reported fatalities.
  • Four of these events were incidents targeting civilians, perpetrated by ISM, FADM, or the Naparama militia
  • Violence in Cabo Delgado province in March decreased by over half compared to February 2024
  • The Naparama militia was involved in two events, killing three election officials in one incident, and clashing with ISM in the other
  • ISM involvement in political violence events recorded by ACLED fell from 25 in February to just six in March, likely due to Ramadan.

Islamic State Mozambique’s (ISM) occupation of Quissanga district headquarters during 02-19 March 2024 was notable. ISM met no resistance entering the town, and took control of a nine-kilometer stretch of coast. On 6 March, residents of Sambene village in Mecufi district torched the houses of neighborhood leaders, believing them to be behind the ongoing cholera outbreak affecting the region. There have been 10 similar events in the past six months in Mozambique. Two days later, the Naparama militia in Chiúre district killed three election workers from the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration, apparently mistaking them for ISM fighters.

Palma 2021 Attack: new fatality estimated: Investigative journalist Alex Perry conducted a survey of more than 13,000 households to gather information from locals who lived through the attack. Recognizing the value of Perry’s data on the Palma attack, ACLED has incorporated this new data into its dataset to provide a more accurate fatality estimate – bearing in mind all the general considerations on fatality estimates. Based on Perry’s survey, 664 additional civilian fatalities were added to ACLED’s original 137 fatalities, bringing the total fatalities of the assault to 801 fatalities (including both civilians and combatants).
Access report here

10 April 2024 / Reclaim Finance
NGOS call on banks and investors to cut TotalEnergies’ main source of finance

Reclaim Finance joined with some 60 NGOs from around the world in signing an open letter calling on banks and investors to stop participating in bonds (loans granted by investors and facilitated by banks) issued by TotalEnergies. Bonds are the French oil and gas major’s main source of financing, and as such enable it to pursue its climate-wrecking strategy by developing new oil and gas projects, ignoring scientific recommendations to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The letters come just days after TotalEnergies raised US$4.25 billion on the bond market, with the help of several banks, including BPCE/Natixis, Standard Chartered and Deutsche Bank. With four existing bonds due to expire this year, the NGOs are warning banks and investors against their renewal.
Full article on the Reclaim Finance website

10 April 2024 / EuroNews
TotalEnergies return to Africa would rock CSDDD, claim NGOs

French multinational TotalEnergies’ intended resumption of natural gas extraction in Mozambique risks falling foul of the EU’s nascent Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, NGOs have claimed. “The law would require the fossil giant to assess its operations in a high-risk context like in Cabo Delgado and align with human rights obligations and a climate transition plan,” Jennifer Kwao of Climate Action Network Europe (CAN) told Euronews, adding the CSDDD would also give Mozambicans in the region access to justice. “If the CSDDD was implemented today, TotalEnergies would not be in line with it,” Jill McCardle, corporate accountability campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe (FoEE) told Euronews.
Original article here

18 to 31 March 2024 / Cabo Ligado Update
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground

After three months of intense offensive activity by Islamic State Mozambique (ISM) in Cabo Delgado province, the last two weeks have seen a lull in violence, with no confirmed attacks. This may be due to Ramadan, during which insurgent attacks usually decline in Mozambique.On 19 March, the governor of Cabo Delgado, Valige Tauabo, announced that after a 17-day occupation, the insurgents had withdrawn from Quissanga town, leaving it ransacked. The insurgents brought their looted supplies back to Mucojo in Macomia district, where they have been seen driving between coastal communities as far as Quiterajo village in an ambulance stolen from Quissanga. One source claimed that the insurgents have cleaned the Mucojo health center and are providing medical assistance to locals.
Access report here

25 March 2024 / Reuters
Credit Agricole says it will not fund two major LNG projects

Credit Agricole said it will not fund the Rovuma LNG project in Mozambique or the Papua New Guinea LNG project. This follows pressure on banks to divest from oil and gas projects. The bank was the original financial advisor for both projects.
Original article here

19 March 2024 / Cabo Ligado Monthly: February 2024
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report on conflict in Cabo Delgado

February was most notable for Islamic State Mozambique’s (ISM) push south to Chiúre district and a significant victory for the group in Macomia district. ISM was active in Chiúre between 9 and 28 February, with at least one group moving north to Ancuabe district in the back half of the month, presumably returning to camps in Macomia district. While the Rwandan Security Forces (RSF) were deployed to Chiúre from their Ancuabe base to the north, ACLED records just one clash between ISM and state forces in Chiúre district during the month, and one clash with the unarmed Naparama militia.

In Macomia district on 9 February, ISM overran a Defense Armed Forces of Mozambique (FADM) base at Mucojo village on the Macomia coast. This was the third time control of the village has changed hands since 20 January. ISM killed at least 20 in the attack. FADM has not returned to the village, thereby effectively ceding control of Mucojo and surrounding areas to ISM.

Access report here

04 to 17 March 2024 / Cabo Ligado Update
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground

The insurgency appears to have concluded its southward offensive, which ravaged Cabo Delgado province’s southern districts, especially Chiúre, from early February. However, in the last two weeks, insurgents have focused on systematically looting Quissanga town and the nearby Quirimba island, where they killed at least nine members of the security forces. Insurgents ransacked the island, stealing food and supplies. Some tried to reassure locals they were making a list of all the goods they had taken so they could pay for them later, but there are no reports that this has happened so far. Insurgents requisitioned boats and coerced civilians into helping them move the stolen supplies to Quissanga. Mozambican security forces fired on one such boat as it passed between Quissanga and Ibo island on 7 March. Insurgents returned fire with rockets and mortars from Quissanga and treated wounded civilians at the village of Tandanhangue, local sources claimed. Insurgents left Quirimba island that day. The governor of Cabo Delgado told reporters that the security forces had expelled the insurgents from Quirimba, but there is no evidence for this. The military has banned all fishing in the area, which many depend on for their livelihoods, and soldiers continue to broadly suspect locals of being insurgent sympathizers, local sources reported.
Access report here

13 March 2024 / Defund TotalEnergies
Defund Mozambique LNG project

The TotalEnergies Mozambique LNG project will create a massive carbon bomb, emitting between 3.3 and 4.5 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent over its lifetime – more than the combined annual greenhouse gas emissions of all 27 European Union countries. In 2020, 28 financial institutions – including Crédit Agricole, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Mizuho Bank, Société Générale and Standard Chartered – signed loan agreements for the $14.9 billion project.
Original article here

08 March 2024 / Energy Capital and Power
Mozambique LNG Projects Advance, Reigniting Investment

The article reports that last December, Nigerian energy company Aiteo secured an operated stake in Mozambique’s Mazenga gas block, and “has launched an extensive exploration and development program involving aeromagnetic and gravitational geological studies, comprehensive field inspections, and reinterpretation and processing of existing data.” Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines and Turkey’s Karpowership are leading development of the Nacala LNG-to-Powership project, a floating LNG-to-power and storage regasification unit. Mozambique’s National Institute of Petroleum signed a gas unitization deal with Tanzania’s Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority last November to co-develop a shared natural gas reservoir, with the deal allowing Tanzania to utilize Mozambique’s gas infrastructure and expertise to supply Tanzanian gas to neighboring countries.
Original article here

06 March 2024 / Zitamar News
The number of people who have left their homes to escape the insurgents recently are on a scale unseen for three years

The number of people in Cabo Delgado province who have been forced to leave their homes as a result of insurgent violence in the last month alone has reached almost 100,000, as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reports
Original article here

04 March 2024 / UNOCHA
Mozambique: Cabo Delgado, Nampula & Niassa Humanitarian Snapshot – January 2024

Over 8,500 people were displaced during the month of January due to incursions by non-State armed groups (NSAGs) in the districts of Macomia, Mecufi, Metuge, Mocímboa da Praia, Muidumbe, Quissanga. Half of the displaced (approximately 4.25K people) moved within the district of Macomia, 700 people within the district of Muidumbe, while 1,400 people sought safety by crossing the district lines from Mocímboa da Praia to Mueda (1,400 people).
Original article here

19 February to 03 March 2024 / Cabo Ligado Update
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground

Cabo Delgado, October 2017-March 2024
Total number of political violence events: 1,747
Total number of reported fatalities from political violence: 4,849
Total number of reported fatalities from political violence targeting civilians: 2,078

Islamic State Mozambique (ISM) continued its offensive through Chiúre district in southern Cabo Delgado province over the last two weeks. In central Cabo Delgado, insurgents occupied Quissanga district headquarters and Quirimba island in Ibo district. Insurgents appeared to move with apparent freedom around the district, appearing in the villages of M’mala, Ntonhane, Micolene, amongst others. A total of 91,239 civilians were displaced in Chiúre between 10 February and 3 March 2024.
Access report here

01 March 2024 / Bloomberg News
Total Funders Weigh Mozambique Restart After Three-Year Halt

Bloomberg reports that lenders to TotalEnergies’s Mozambique liquefied natural gas project are conducting assessments on reactivating funding for the project, specifically the US Export-Import Bank which committed the biggest share of US$4.7 billion in financing as well as other lenders that comprise a total of about US$15 billion in debt. The assessment coincides with a decision by the Biden administration in January to pause approval of new liquefied natural gas export licenses, in recognition that the climate impact from fossil fuel needs to be reassessed. Atradius Dutch State Business, the Amsterdam-based Dutch export-credit agency that’s committed $1 billion to Mozambique LNG, said it’s also assessing the situation.
Original article here

01 March 2024 / Fair Finance Southern Africa
Fair Finance Southern Africa response to Development Bank of Sothern Africa regarding CSO workshop in March 2024

The Fair Finance Coalition of Southern Africa (FFCSA) will be participating in a Civil Society Organisation workshop hosted by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) at their Midrand premises on the 8th of March 2024 on DFIs, CSOs and the Just Transition advocating for a meaningful role for civil society. This comes after the FFCSA submitted a proposal in April 2023 to the DBSA for a Civil Society Forum to take place with the aim of creating a space for discussions around DBSA projects which have implications for climate goals and community lived experience. The FFCSA reaffirms its role as a voice in civil society with the dedicated work we have undertaken. The expectation is that the DBSA will engage transparently and establish an inclusive space for meaningful discussions.
Download the full response to the DBSA based on the upcoming workshop here

29 February / Waging Non Violence
Inside the campaign to stop the largest gas projects in Africa

Mozambican communities and their allies are fighting to stop the multinational gas giants and financiers behind LNG projects that will cost $50 billion.The industry has been fueling a war that has been raging for six years, and has already displaced over one million people. This war between insurgents, private security and the militaries of Mozambique, Rwanda and other countries only began when the gas companies became present in the area.
Original article here

29 February 2024 / NewzroomAfrika
People forced to flee homes in Mozambique

A wave of attacks in the restive north of Mozambique has driven more than 60 000 people from their homes. Daniel Ribeiro provides an overview of the current humanitarian crisis in Mozambique, particularly in the Cabo Delgado province.
Watch here

29 February 2024 / Friends of the Earth US & Justiça Ambiental/Friends of the Earth Mozambique
A Risky Bet: The IMF’s Role in Mozambique’s LNG Development

This blog breaks down the critical role that a little-understood international financial institution – the International Monetary Fund (IMF, or Fund) – has played behind the scenes in quietly pushing Mozambique to the predicament it finds itself in today in pursuing gas for development
Original article here

28 February 2024 / African Arguments
Peril or prosperity? The risks facing Mozambique’s long-awaited gas boom

African Arguments reports: “From conflict and long deferred revenues to falling gas demand, there are many reasons to believe Mozambique’s LNG deal has become a liability.”
Original article here

28 February 2024 / Climate Home News
When governments fund fossil fuels, it’s time to take them to court

A new wave of climate litigation is targeting state institutions that are still providing public finance for fossil fuels, despite pledges to turn off the funding tap.
Original article here

28 February 2024 / News24
Tens of thousands of people reported displaced in Cabo Delgado in the past two weeks

“Mozambique’s government confirmed on Tuesday that tens of thousands have been driven from their homes by a wave of jihadist attacks in the restive north, but rejected calls for a state of emergency.”
Original article here

26 February 2024 / Africa Intelligence report
TotalEnergies pleads with US EXIM Bank to release promised Mozambique LNG funding

TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné is reported to have met senior executives at US EXIM Bank in Washington to convince the bank to release US$4.7bn worth of guaranteed loans for the Mozambique LNG Project. EXIM Bank is reported to have doubts about security in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, where the project is situated. The article reports that US company ExxonMobil is backing the TotalEnergies appeal to Exxim.
Original article here

20 February 2024 / Zumbo FM
Confederation of Economic Associations criticises Mozambique LNG Project

President of the Confederation of Economic Associations (CTA) of Cabo Delgado, Mamudo Irachi, said that French investments in Area 1 of the Rovuma Basin only brought “more misfortune and insecurity to the province of Cabo Delgado” and that “the population of Cabo Delgado has never lived on oil, much less natural gas.” He said that the disovery of natural gas and oil in Cabo Delgado created insecurity.
Original article here

19 February 2024 / Zitamar News
Angry politicians are turning on the media as the government fails to contain the insurgency in Cabo Delgado province

Zitamar News reports that the administrator of Quissanga district has accused journalists of fabricating information. This follows a report by the news agency that Quissanga town had been captured by insurgents, however it was later established that they had been nearby but not in the town itself.
Original article here

5-18 February 2024 / Cabo Ligado Update
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground

“The last two weeks have seen a massive escalation in insurgent violence in Cabo Delgado province, with attacks spread across the districts of Chiure in the south, Macomia, Meluco, and Quissanga in the province’s center, and Mocímoba da Praia in the north. Insurgents targeted security forces and civilians, and made an unprecedented effort to burn down churches.”
Access report here

January 2024 / Cabo Ligado Monthly: January 2024
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground

ACLED records 28 political violence events in Cabo Delgado in January, resulting in at least 25 reported fatalities
Twenty-one of the reported events were incidents targeting civilians
Events were concentrated in Mocímboa da Praia, Macomia, Metuge, Pemba and Mecufi districts

Vital Trends

  • ISM was involved in 22 political violence events in January, three times as many as in the previous month
  • ACLED records at least 21 fatalities in incidents targeting civilians, the highest since December 2022
  • The Naparama militia was involved in four incidents related to the cholera outbreak

In This Report

  • The insurgency threatens the south
  • Implications of electoral law changes for Cabo Delgado
  • Tanzania’s view of regional security

Access report here

8-21 January 2024 / Cabo Ligado Update
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report of situation on the ground

“Islamic State Mozambique’s (ISM) “kill them where you find them” campaign, launched on 4 January, petered out over the last two weeks. However, insurgents managed to score a major victory in occupying Mucojo, Macomia district, after forcing Defense Forces of Mozambique (FADM) to abandon their strategic positions on the coast. The occupation of Mucojo marks the first time that the insurgency has held a significant settlement since it was expelled from Mocímboa da Praia and Mbau in August 2021.”
Access report here

December 2023 / Cabo Ligado Monthly: December 2023
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) report on conflict in Cabo Delgado

ACLED records seven political violence events involving ISM in Cabo Delgado in December, resulting in at least 21 reported fatalities.

ACLED records eight fatalities in disturbances related to the ongoing cholera outbreak. Four fatalities were recorded in each of Montepuez and Chiure districts in the south of Cabo Delgado province

Vital Trends

  • Monthly fatalities for December were the highest since August 2023
  • All ISM incidents occurred in either Macomia or Muidumbe districts
  • Violence against state officials, related to the response to the cholera epidemic, re-emerges in the south of Cabo Delgado

In This Report

  • Issues to watch in 2024
  • Violence in southern Cabo Delgado
  • ISM spoils Rwandan media campaign

Access report here

02 November 2023 / Geopolitical Intelligence Services AG
How terrorism threatens the future of Mozambique

“The vicious cycle of terrorist violence and economic inefficiency is difficult to break. Mozambique cannot improve its economy, which depends on energy mining and agriculture, without peace on the ground; and to restore peace, it needs to employ force and to have citizens that are happy with the economy. Violence until now has been restricted to the north of Mozambique, and there is no reason for it to expand south or across external borders, given the role of local tribal factors that are less relevant elsewhere. The problem is that the key resources for an economic change are precisely in the threatened region, off the coast of Cabo Delgado. With the ongoing post-election protests adding to the threat of jihadist terrorism, economic paralysis and divisions inside the ruling party, Mozambique’s prospects look very dim without significant changes.
Original article here