Mozambique: EU to give support in fight against armed groups in Cabo Delgado

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Mozambique: EU to give support in fight against armed groups in Cabo Delgado

12:19 CAT | 09 Oct 2020

EU ambassador in Mozambique delivers the letter from Josep Borrell Fontelles, containing the EU's "positive response" to Mozambique's request, to Foreign Affairs Minister Verónica Macamo. [Photo: Twitter / @SBeneditoEU]

The EU will assist Mozambique in combating armed groups classified as terrorists in Cabo Delgado, following a request for support from the Mozambican government sent to Brussels last month, a diplomatic source announced on Friday.

“I can confirm that the requests that have been made to the EU have received a positive response and now we have to work on the different issues that have been raised,” said the EU Ambassador in Maputo, Antonio Sánchez-Benedito Gaspar.

He was speaking to the media in the Mozambican capital moments after delivering a letter from High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President t of the Commission for a Stronger Europe in the World Josep Borrell Fontelles to the Mozambican Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Verónica Macamo, in [a positive] response to the request for support in logistics and specialised training of government forces to stop armed incursions of groups classified as terrorists in Cabo Delgado.

“Great meeting with MFA Minister Macamo to deliver Josep Borrell Fontelles letter in response to the Government of Mozambique’s request for assistance in addressing extremist violence in Cabo Delgado. EU’s positive response reiterates our commitment to humanitarian assistance, development and security,” the EU ambassador writes on Twitter.

Great meeting with MFA Minister Macamo to deliver @JosepBorrellF letter in response to the GoM🇲🇿 request for assistance in addressing extremist violence in #CaboDelgado. #EU🇪🇺 positive response reiterates our commitment to humanitarian assistance, development and security.🇪🇺🤝🇲🇿 pic.twitter.com/kcCsYy4OG4

— Antonio Sánchez-Benedito Gaspar (@SBeneditoEU) October 9, 2020

Antonio Sánchez-Benedito Gaspar explained that the idea is to strengthen Mozambique’s response capacities but made it clear that “the arrival of European military in the country is not on the agenda”.

“So far all our efforts have been focused on the humanitarian emergency part and the development part. We will continue to make efforts for the security part, which is now beginning. The Government of Mozambique has asked for help and we will give it, but it is more help in terms of training, logistics and medical services for the forces that are fighting terrorism in northern Mozambique,” he added.

More than 2,000 dead after 3 years of conflict in northern Mozambique

Cabo Delgado province, in the north of Mozambique, has been the scene of armed attacks by forces classified as terrorists for three years.

The violence has caused a humanitarian crisis with over 1,000 deaths and some 250,000 internally displaced persons.

Source: Lusa