Mozambique: Peace in Cabo Delgado a priority in face of instability pockets – president

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Mozambique: Peace in Cabo Delgado a priority in face of instability pockets – president

3:24 CAT | 20 Dec 2022

Photo: TVM

Mozambique’s president said on Tuesday that the consolidation of security in areas devastated by terrorism was the priority of government forces, acknowledging the prevalence of “isolated pockets” of instability in Cabo Delgado and some districts of neighbouring provinces.

“Isolated pockets of terrorism still remain active,” Filipe Nyusi said in his annual state of the nation address in parliament in Maputo.

According to the head of state, despite military operations to consolidate stability in areas reconquered by government forces, with support from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the authorities have recorded pockets of instability in several points in Cabo Delgado and in some districts of neighbouring provinces, particularly Memba and Eráti in Nampula.

“The Mozambican president said that these attacks caused the death of innocent people and the destruction of people’s property.

Despite the “pockets of instability”, the head of state stressed that the armed forces of defence and security of Mozambique remain in readiness, in an effort to ensure peace and stability in the reconquered points and that are already receiving people who have decided to return to their areas of origin.

“On a general balance, we have been during 2022 consolidating security in the places affected by terrorism […] We have been able to provide humanitarian assistance to more than a million displaced people and we have been ensuring the voluntary return of the people,” Filipe Nyusi said.

Cabo Delgado province has faced an armed insurgency for five years with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State.

The insurgency has led to a military response since July 2021 with support from Rwanda and SADC, liberating districts near gas projects, but new waves of attacks have emerged in the south of the region and in neighbouring Nampula province.

The conflict has left one million people displaced, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and about 4,000 dead, according to the ACLED conflict registration project.

The Mozambican parliament is dominated by the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), with a qualified majority of 184 of the 250 seats in parliament, followed by Renamo with 60 and the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM) with six seats.

Source: Lusa