Maputo, 31 Jan (AIM) – Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi has called on the Islamist terrorists that have been plaguing some districts of the northern province of Cabo Delgado “to reconsider their actions and join the country’s socio-economic development efforts.”
The socio-economic development in Cabo Delgado is mainly centered on the Mozambique LNG project, headed by the French oil and gas company, TotalEnergies, on the Afungi peninsula, in Palma district.
In April 2021, TotalEnergies declared force majeure to suspend all activities on the project, budgeted at 20 billion dollars, due to a major terrorist raid against the town of Palma.
However, the President and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced recently that the French multinational may resume operations early this year as a result of improved security conditions.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday on the balance of his visit to Italy, where he took part in the Italy-Africa summit, the President said “there is a need to take advantage of this moment to call on those who are on the side of terrorism to reconsider their attitude. Those who are doing it consciously above all, and those who are not doing it consciously, we will work to free them.”
According to Nyusi, during the summit, it was possible to share the evolution of terrorism in Mozambique, a global issue about which everyone is concerned to know its “modus-operandi” in its different phases.
“In my capacity as Commander-in-Chief, I don’t neglect this possibility of sharing. We have exchanged views on this and we will continue with concrete things”, Nyusi told reporters.
Since October 2017, Cabo Delgado has been the target of terrorist attacks that have led to the deaths of more than 4,000 citizens and the flight of more than 900,000 people who have sought shelter in safer places, triggering a humanitarian crisis.
(AIM)
dt/ad/pf (309)