Mozambique: SADC mission in Cabo Delgado a step towards progress in province – governor

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Mozambique: SADC mission in Cabo Delgado a step towards progress in province – governor

1:31 CAT | 18 Aug 2023

Photo: Conselho Executivo de Cabo Delgado

The governor of Cabo Delgado on Thursday praised the role of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which has a military mission fighting terrorism in northern Mozambique, which he considered a step towards the resumption of development in the province.

“We have witnessed the greatest expression of solidarity between the peoples of SADC, especially in our province, with the heavy presence of the integrated forces of SAMIM [the SADC mission in Mozambique], together with our defence and security forces in the fight against terrorism, thus creating the necessary conditions for economic development,” acknowledged Valige Tauabo.

Taking part in the SADC day celebrations on Thursday in Pemba, the provincial capital, the governor reiterated that the union of the countries in the region should be a “lesson” to terrorists that they cannot impose themselves on any part of Cabo Delgado.

“We believe, and it shows, that together we are even stronger. And there is a clear lesson for those who carry out terrorist attacks against our people, hiding their faces over their unconcealed objectives regarding the riches of our land: know that these belong solely and exclusively to the Mozambican people and we will never allow anyone to impose themselves on our homeland,” he said.

The SADC heads of state decided to extend the term of the regional organisation’s military mission supporting Mozambique in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado, the organisation said in a statement on July 12.

“The ‘Troika’ of the Organ Summit extended the mandate of the SADC mission in Mozambique [SAMIM] for a period of 12 months, with effect from 16 July,” said the note issued after an extraordinary session of the ‘troika’ of SADC heads of state and government.

As well as “consolidating the achievements made”, the decision to extend the mission’s deadline aims to facilitate the safe return of the people who were forced to flee due to the conflict in that northern province of Mozambique.

SADC held its 43rd summit on Thursday in Luanda, marking the start of the rotating presidency by the Angolan head of state, João Lourenço.

The military response with the support of foreign forces in Cabo Delgado began in July 2021 and, in addition to SADC member countries, includes Rwanda.

Several districts near the gas projects have been liberated since the arrival of the foreign forces, but there have been new waves of isolated attacks in the south of the region and in the neighbouring province of Nampula.

In almost six years of rebel attacks, some of which have been claimed by the extremist group Islamic State, the conflict has displaced a million people, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and caused around 4,000 deaths, according to the ACLED conflict registration project.

Source: Lusa