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With the escalation of violence in Cabo Delgado out of control, the Mozambican government asked the European Union for help to deal with the terrorist and jihadist insurgency that has destabilized the region.
In the first line to support the African country are two old acquaintances: Portugal and France.
However, this is not just any aid, it is not about financial support (Norway, for example, gave around 900,000 euros for humanitarian emergency operations in Cabo Delgado): Mozambique asked for logistical support and help to train military personnel with in order to combat the groups that have terrorized this part of the country.
“Taking into account the need to strengthen military and security response measures, as well as counteract the advance of terrorists and restore public order, order and tranquility in the affected districts, the Government of Mozambique considers important the support in the field of specialized training. to combat terrorism and insurgency, through multiform support: training, logistics of the forces to combat terrorism, medical assistance teams in combat zones and technical training of personnel ”, can be read in the request addressed to Josep Borrell , Senior Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, cited by the Mozambique Charter.
Borrel confirmed that he received Mozambique’s request for help, but for now, he still does not have a definitive answer to give. “We can confirm that the High Representative / Vice President [da Comissão, Josep Borrell] received a letter from the Mozambican Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A response will be prepared and sent in due time, as always, “confirmed a spokesman for the European diplomatic corps to Lusa.
Last Thursday, the European Parliament approved a resolution on Cabo Delgado, drawn up by the Portuguese MEP, Paulo Rangel, to “try to find financial, logistical and human resources support” to “face the humanitarian situation” and help the populations in northern Mozambique are persecuted and attacked by armed groups.
However, it is unclear whether the EU will support Mozambique through military readiness, as Mozambican security forces are also being investigated for abuse of violence. “The barbaric actions attributed to al-Shabaab must not face new human rights violations by the Mozambican security forces,” says the European Parliament, following the publication of a video last week showing members of the Army from Mozambique attacks a naked and unarmed woman.
Who will support Mozambique? Portugal is a logical candidate given its historical connection, since colonial times, with the protocols and projects celebrated by the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).
Portuguese MEP Paulo Rangel has been an active voice in the European Parliament to insist on support for Cabo Delgado. Rangel called for “Mozambique and Mozambicans to be forgotten.” “There are already more than 1,500 dead, hundreds of thousands displaced, terrorism in the towns and cities of Mozambique. Many of the young women have been abducted or sexually enslaved, many of the young men have been forcibly reinforced with militias and temporary armies. It is an offensive clearly inspired by Islamic Jiadism, extremism, with proven links to Daesh, ”he said.
The Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Augusto Santos Silva, and Josep Borrell, in Brussels, had already addressed the situation in Cabo Delgado last week. “The situation in northern Mozambique is obviously a concern for Portugal and deserves Portugal’s attention, but it also deserves the EU’s attention. And, given that Portugal is going to assume the presidency of the Council of the EU, nothing is expected other than greater attention to this problem, among the many that the EU has to face, ”Santos Silva told reporters.
Although the Portuguese Government has not yet submitted a response, a statement on the matter is expected.
France, through the oil multinational Total, signed an agreement in this area with the Mozambican government that promised to understand and put into operation a joint force for the security of the natural gas project of the Area 1 consortium in the Rovuma basin, north from Mozambique. . The statement issued by Total said that the Total E&P Mozambique Area 1 consortium would provide logistical support to the joint force. The French NGO Les Amis de La Terre accused the French government of “helping to ignite tensions in the province of Cabo Delgado, supporting multinational gas companies and the militarization of the area.”
The province of Cabo Delgado has been the scene of armed attacks for three years by forces classified as terrorists. The violence caused a humanitarian crisis with more than a thousand deaths and around 365,000 internally displaced persons.
