EU will continue to fund Rwandan presence in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado

MAPUTO, Mozambique

Lesotho's foreign minister, Lejone Mpotjoane, conveyed his shock and embarrassment after President Trump’s Congress address, in which he remarked that "nobody has ever heard of" Lesotho. Mpotjoane noted that this kind of behavior is not what one would expect from a head of state.

The European Union is continuing to support the Rwandan assistance for Mozambique’s fight against islamist terrorism, despite Rwanda’s role in the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Cited by the daily electronic paper “Mozambique Times”, Jennifer Sanchez da Silva, the EU press officer for foreign affairs and security policy, said Rwanda is continuing to comply with the contractual terms governing EU funding for counter-terrorism efforts in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado.

The deployment of Rwandan troops to assist the Mozambican defence and secuity forces in the war against jihadist groups in Cabo Delgado, is budgeted at 20 million euros (about 21.4 million US dollars), disbursed by the European Council through the European Peace Facility (EPF).

But at the same time the EU has imposed sanctions against Rwanda because of its support for the M23 rebel group. Sanchez da Silva saw no contradiction. “The territorial integrity of the DRC is non-negotiable. The UN Charter applies everywhere,” she said.

But this had nothing to do with the fight against islamism in Cabo Delgado.

“Rwanda has so far fulfilled all commitments related to the European Peace Facility (EPF) assistance measure for its military deployment in Mozambique,” said Sanchez da Silva. “EPF support is provided based on guarantees of strict compliance with international humanitarian law and respect for human rights”.

It is estimated that around 4,000 Rwandan military personnel and police officers are currently deployed in Cabo Delgado. The area under the responsibility of Rwandan troops has also expanded. 

Initially, they were deployed only in the districts of Palma and Mocímboa da Praia, a region that hosts natural gas exploration projects led by multinational companies, notably the French firm TotalEnergies, which has an approved investment of 23 billion US dollars.

But the Rwandan troops have moved further south and are now also responsible for the districts of Muidumbe, Macomia, Ancuabe, and Montepuez.

“This [Rwandan] support is necessary and highly appreciated by Mozambique, constituting a tangible contribution to fighting the terrorist insurgency in Cabo Delgado and protecting the local population,” said Sanchez da Silva.

As for the post-election unrest in Mozambique, Sanchez da Silva said that the EU is open to supporting the country in a “dialogue involving all relevant stakeholders to implement the necessary and urgent reforms.”