Mozambique: Ramaphosa welcomes the results of the SADC mission in Cabo Delgado
A Rwandan soldier patrols near Palma, in Cabo Delgado, in September 2021. AFP - SIMON WOHLFAHRT
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
Southern African countries continue their joint military intervention in Mozambique.
Meeting at an extraordinary summit in Malawi, the SADC countries extended the mandate of Samim without specifying its new duration, nor the resources allocated.
If the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa believes that the situation is improving in Cabo Delgado, for observers, the troops are not sufficient and it is far too early to claim victory.
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With our correspondent in Johannesburg
,
Romain Chanson
The Southern African Development Community first intervened in July 2021 to help Mozambique fight the jihadist insurgency in Cabo Delgado province, in the north of the country.
Several countries in the region are providing troops, with South Africa in the lead.
“
Significant progress has been made
,” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said.
In fact, towns (Mocímboa da Praia, Palma) have been freed from the unblocked roads and the
gas project area of the French group Total
secured in Afungi.
But the insurgents have dispersed in small cells, disorderly and more difficult to apprehend.
The threat does not abate, analyzes Jasmine Opperman of the ACLED conflict monitoring network.
“
We must get rid of a victorious speech as quickly as possible.
To claim the security of an area, we must not rely solely on the number of attacks, we must ensure the return of a certain level of stability.
"
More boots are needed on the pitch, says Jasmine Opperman.
The fighting forces of the SADC are insufficient, they amount to between 300 and 400 according to Darren Olivier, director of the African Defense Review.
“
The forces involved are few and this is one of the main problems.
Likewise, they are severely under-equipped with too few helicopters.
All of this costs money and it would seem that as long as the countries involved are funding the intervention on their own, there is no hope of getting better equipment and larger troops.
"
For its part,
Rwanda has deployed 2,000 troops in Mozambique
, in direct agreement with Maputo, and for an indefinite period.
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