EU High Representative Josep Borrell cancels visit to Mozambique over Covid case in entourage

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

EU High Representative Josep Borrell cancels visit to Mozambique over Covid case in entourage

9:09 CAT | 30 Jan 2022

File photo: EPA

The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, cancelled the two-day visit to Mozambique that should have started today due to a case of Covid-19 in the entourage that accompanied him, an official source announced.

“One member of the delegation tested positive before arriving in Mozambique and, although the rest of the team repeatedly tested negative, it was decided not to travel to Mozambique as a precautionary measure,” the main spokesperson for the High Representative of of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs told Lusa. A new date for the visit will be agreed with the Mozambican authorities, he added.

Before Mozambique, Borrell ended a visit to Kenya on Saturday, ahead of the 6th EU-Africa summit, scheduled for 17 and 18 February in Brussels. Insecurity in Cabo Delgado and the European mission that is training Mozambican troops were on the agenda of the high representative in Maputo.

Borrell had scheduled meetings with Mozambican President, Filipe Nyusi and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Verónica Macamo, in addition to a visit to the EU military mission in the country.

Discussed with President Kenyatta how to take forward EU-#Kenya partnership, three weeks before #AUEU Summit.

We are strategic and like-minded partners working on prosperity, stability, and peace and security – for whole Horn of Africa region.@StateHouseKenya @EUinKenya pic.twitter.com/PELZ1rIqNk

— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) January 28, 2022

Cabo Delgado province is rich in natural gas, but has been terrorised since 2017 by armed rebels, with some attacks claimed by the Islamic State extremist group.

The conflict has already caused more than 3,100 deaths, according to the ACLED conflict registration project, and more than 817,000 displaced people, according to the Mozambican authorities.

Since July 2021, an offensive by government troops with the support of Rwanda, which was later joined by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), allowed the recovery of several occupied areas, but there are still occasional clashes that spread to the province in December. from Niassa.

Source: Lusa