Mozambique: Lack of coordination between foreign missions in Cabo Delgado – ISS

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Mozambique: Lack of coordination between foreign missions in Cabo Delgado – ISS

9:11 CAT | 24 Aug 2021

File photo: Lusa

Mozambique: Lack of coordination between foreign missions in Cabo Delgado – ISS
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Maputo, Aug. 23, 2021 (Lusa) – Researcher Liesl Louw-Vaudran, from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) for Africa, pointed out on Monday that despite the success of the Rwandan mission, there has been a lack of collaboration between the various foreign missions present in Mozambique.

“The current intervention in Mozambique should prompt the PSC [African Union Peace and Security Council] to look at better ways of coordinating conflict response. Mozambique and Rwanda have not coordinated their actions with the SADC [Southern African Development Community] and the regional organisation has not consulted with the AU [African Union],” said the researcher in a text published today on the ISS website.

“There was no formal cooperation or assistance from the AU Peace Support Operations Division with the SADC mission in Mozambique [Samim], according to AU sources,” Louw-Vaudran added.

In this sense, the researcher also pointed out that there was still no date for the PSC to discuss the situation in Mozambique, after talks that were scheduled for March were cancelled due to Maputo’s insistence that the issue was relative to SADC.

Louw-Vaudran stressed that as the AU’s most important peace and security dedicated body outside of summits, the PSC “can discuss any support for Samim, particularly if it goes beyond three months, which is likely.”

Similarly, the South African researcher stressed that it is in SADC’s interest to “ensure long-term peace and stability in southern Africa,” and that this implies “supporting Mozambique to ensure security – even after the departure of Rwandan troops – and committing to a holistic plan for Cabo Delgado that addresses humanitarian needs.”

Pointing out that the support of Rwandan troops has been successful, “at least in short-term gains”, the researcher says the situation shows that continental discussions and coordination in the face of conflict intervention “are more necessary than ever”.

“The Rwandan mobilisation should have been the subject of formal talks and transparent agreements between SADC, Rwanda, Mozambique and, in part, the AU,” she argued, justifying that the African body is the only one that can “mediate such discussions”.

The province of Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique, has been the scene of attacks by armed groups since 2017, described by several governments and international entities as “terrorists.”

The fight against the insurgents gained new momentum when on 08 August joint forces from Mozambique and Rwanda recaptured the strategic port town of Mocímboa da Praia, which had been in the hands of the rebels since 23 March.

Following the attacks in Cabo Delgado, there are more than 3,100 deaths, according to the ACLED conflict registration project, and more than 817,000 displaced people, according to the Mozambican authorities.

Source: Lusa