Stopping terrorism in northern Mozambique is ‘in EU’s interest’ – minister

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Stopping terrorism in northern Mozambique is ‘in EU’s interest’ – minister

3:31 CAT | 26 Jan 2021

Picture: Lusa

Portugal’s foreign minister, Augusto Santos Silva, stressed on Tuesday before the European Parliament in Brussels that support for the Mozambican authorities in combating terrorism in the north of the country is also in the interests of the European Union.

“This is in the interest of the European Union, it is not just an internal matter for Mozambique. We cannot allow East Africa to become one of the areas of penetration and consolidation of international terrorist networks and the close links they have with the different trafficking of human beings, drugs, piracy, etc.”, he said in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament.

Santos Silva, who presented the priorities of the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the European Union in the field of foreign policy, pointed out in his introduction that one of the main objectives is “to develop a joint strategy with Africa”, including in this area “to support the efforts of the Mozambican authorities in the fight against international terrorism and to support them in coping with the very difficult situation today in the north, particularly in Cabo Delgado”.

Reporting on his political mission to Maputo last week, as representative of the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, the head of Portuguese diplomacy reiterated that the priorities for support to be provided, and identified together with the Mozambican authorities, “are very clear”.

“It is a question of strengthening cooperation between the EU and Mozambique in the areas where it already exists: humanitarian action and development support projects. And it is about significantly increasing cooperation with Mozambique in the area where it is now minimal, the area of security,” he said.

In this area, he continued, “what is at stake is our support for training and education of Mozambican military forces, so that they are better able to respond to the insurgency, as well as logistical and equipment support”.

“We hope that in the coming weeks we will be able to define the political framework that will frame this reinforcement of EU cooperation with Mozambique”, he said.

Augusto Santos Silva added that “it is very important to pay attention to two points in this support,” the first of which is to ensure “that it is done with strict respect for Mozambique’s sovereignty, with strict respect for the role that should also be played by regional organisations, both the African Union and the Community of Southern African Countries.

“And the second point is that this support must be implemented as soon as possible, and in accordance with the European framework, with respect for human rights, for training of military and security forces and the clear link between the security dimension and the development dimension”, he added.

The armed violence in Mozambique’s northern province, where the largest private multinational investment in Africa is taking place, for the exploitation of natural gas, is causing a humanitarian crisis with more than 2,000 deaths and 560,000 displaced people, without housing or food, which has led the Mozambican authorities to ask the EU for help.

Source: Lusa