SADC summit: timid support for Mozambique under terrorist threat

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3 min

The heads of member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) gathered by videoconference on Monday, August 17, for their 40th summit. The President of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, is now the head of the institution, taking over from Tanzania. His country is at the heart of regional discussions, since the north of Mozambique has known acts of terrorism for three years. Faced with this threat, member countries have expressed only half-hearted support for the country.

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Just a few days ago, jihadists from the al-Shabab group affiliated with ISIS captured the strategic port of Mocimboa da Praia, in northern Mozambique. SADC [Southern African Development Community] has recognized the importance of the threat, but does not seem, for now, to want to do more.

For nearly three years, violence in Mozambique has left more than 1,000 dead and tens of thousands displaced. Now, the jihadist insurgency threatens to internationalize and, so far, President Filipe Nyusi has failed to restore order.

Three years to recognize the threat

In its press release, reports our correspondent in Johannesburg, Claire Bargelès , the regional organization expresses its “  solidarity  ” and its “  commitment  ” to “  support Mozambique in its fight against terrorism  ”. Thus, the danger posed by jihadist violence is no longer underestimated, but it took three years for the Mozambican State and the SADC to recognize the reality of the threat.

However, the southern African community does not give more details on the support it intends to provide to Mozambique in its struggle. No mention of sending troops or emissaries, while the Mozambican government and private security companies have failed to contain these acts of terrorism and that for its part, the African Union must wait for a reaction from the institution regional before being able to act.

The province of Cabo Delgado is strategic, since it is to host a liquefied natural gas mega-project, in which the French group Total is participating. The capture of the port of Mocimboa da Praia, important in terms of logistics and control of the area, is also a new blow for the project.

► (Re) listen: The jihadist threat in southern Africa

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• Mozambique
• Terrorism
• Shebabs

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