SECURITY

Mozambique: EU Ambassador Meets Rwanda Top Diplomat to Coordinate on Cabo Delgado Security

14 hours ago EDITOR

Mozambique — The European Union’s newly arrived Ambassador to Mozambique, Francisco Fontán Pardo, paid a courtesy call on Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Mozambique, Col. (Rtd) Donat Ndamage, on October 29. The two diplomats discussed the ongoing security situation in Cabo Delgado province and the respective contributions of the European Union and Rwanda toward advancing peace and stability there.

The meeting, held at the Rwandan High Commission in Maputo, comes as Cabo Delgado continues to grapple with an Islamist insurgency linked to the Islamic State that began in 2017. The conflict has killed more than 6,600 people and displaced well over a million at its peak, according to conflict monitoring organizations.

While large-scale territorial control by insurgents has been reduced, asymmetric attacks, ambushes, abductions, and forced recruitment persist, particularly in districts such as Macomia, Mocímboa da Praia, Muidumbe, and Nangade. In September and October 2026 alone, nearly 6,000 people fled their homes amid attacks or fears of further violence.

Rwanda has maintained a significant security presence in the province since July 2021, deploying forces at the request of the Mozambican government. Rwandan troops, working alongside Mozambican forces, played a key role in recapturing strategic towns including Palma and Mocímboa da Praia, helping create conditions for the partial return of displaced populations and the resumption of major economic projects.

The mission has since evolved to include regular troop rotations, joint operations, and civil-military activities such as community clean-up campaigns and donations of school and health supplies. Funding for the Rwandan deployment, previously supported in part through the EU’s European Peace Facility, has shifted in 2026 toward a primarily bilateral arrangement in which Mozambique has secured the necessary resources to sustain the presence.

The European Union has been a longstanding partner in Mozambique’s security efforts. Beyond earlier logistical and equipment support for Rwandan forces, Brussels has focused on building the capacity of the Mozambican Armed Forces through training missions.

The EU Military Assistance Mission in Mozambique (EUMAM MOZ) continues to provide specialized training and advice. Ambassador Fontán Pardo, who assumed his post in early September 2026, has identified peace and security in northern Mozambique as a priority of his mandate, consistent with the EU’s broader cooperation framework with Maputo that also emphasizes sustainable development, governance, and green growth.

The diplomatic engagement occurs against the backdrop of renewed momentum in Cabo Delgado’s liquefied natural gas sector. TotalEnergies has restarted construction on its major LNG project near Afungi after years of force majeure, with security cooperation involving Rwandan forces cited as a factor enabling the resumption. Analysts note that while the insurgency no longer holds major urban centers, its ability to conduct mobile attacks and generate resources through kidnapping and illicit activity continues to pose risks to both civilian populations and economic investment.

The Maputo meeting underscores the ongoing coordination among Mozambique, Rwanda, and the European Union as they seek to sustain security gains in a protracted conflict. With the new EU ambassador still in the early months of his posting and Rwandan forces remaining a central element of the counter-insurgency effort, further high-level discussions on operational support, capacity building, and the conditions for long-term stabilization are expected.