Over 6,300 Rwandan troops in Northern Mozambique – aimnews.org

Maputo, 8 April (AIM) – The Rwandan government revealed that it has more than 6,300 soldiers deployed in Northern Mozambique to support the fight against Islamic terrorists.

The Rwandan Forces were deployed in 2021 at the request of the Mozambican government to support the fight against jihadist groups operating in the region.

According to Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo, this number is three times higher than the number sent in 2021 and therefore a “sustainable financing framework is needed to continue”.

The Rwandan government had already announced that the Rwandan military presence in Mozambique depends on “adequate and predictable” financing. The announcement comes at a time when financial support from the European Peace Mechanism is set to expire in May “with no plans for renewal”, according to EU officials.

Rwanda has so far received around 40 million euros (46.7 million US dollars at the current exchange rate) in EU support for the counter-insurgency mission in Mozambique.

According to Makolo, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), the long-term deployment of Rwandan forces in joint counterterrorism operations in Mozambique requires a sustainable financing framework.

“Having so far borne the majority of the financial burden of these operations, a transition to more equitable financing is a strategic necessity,” she said.

She explained that it is up to the Mozambican government to provide the financing.

“Rwanda has not and will not seek additional funds from the European Peace Mechanism. This is an issue for Mozambique. Rwanda’s deployment requires sustainable financing, and it is up to the host government and its partners with large investments in Cabo Delgado to provide this, as it always has been,” she said.

“On the other hand, Rwanda is pleased to have been able to contribute together with our Mozambican allies to defeat terrorists, protect the residents of Cabo Delgado and allow the implementation of investments,” he added.

The spokesperson also said that civilians are the biggest beneficiaries of the joint security mission.

“Investments in gas benefit European and global security/energy interests, not those of Rwanda. Rwandan forces are present in Cabo Delgado in response to the Government of Mozambique’s request for support,” Makolo said.

Last March, the US government imposed sanctions against the Rwandan Armed Forces and four senior Rwandan officials appointed as a result of “direct operational support to the March 23 Movement (M23) and its affiliates in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)”.

The M23 rebels are said to be representatives of the Rwandan government, although Rwanda has repeatedly denied this.

The insurgency in Cabo Delgado, which broke out in 2017, paralyzed the construction of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, led by the French company TotalEnergies. But the work of the Mozambican defense and security forces and their Rwandan allies, particularly in the main districts of Palma and Mocímboa da Praia, allowed TotalEnergies to lift the state of force majeure it had declared in 2021.

In January this year, the French energy company and the Mozambican government agreed to resume construction of the project.
(AIM)
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