Exxonmobil manager claims security improving in Cabo Delgado

Maputo, 23 Feb (AIM) – The general manager in Mozambique of the American oil and gas company ExxonMobil, Arne Gibbs, has claimed that security conditions in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, especially in those regions where liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects are being carried out, are improving compared to previous years.

ExxonMobil is leading the construction and operation of all future natural gas liquefaction and related facilities for the Area 4 deep water block off the Cabo Delgado coast, operated by Mozambique Rovuma Venture (MRV), a joint venture owned by ExxonMobil, the Italian energy company ENI, and CNPC of China.

Speaking after an audience granted to him on Wednesday in the provincial capital, Pemba, by Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, Gibbs said “I acknowledge what the Defense and Security Forces have already done here in Cabo Delgado. The situation is better than it was years ago. We certainly still have some problems and questions, but I want to congratulate the Defense and Security Forces for what they have already done in coordination with the Rwandan forces.”

However, the French government does not share the same opinion, as it issued recently a statement advising its citizens to avoid going to certain regions of Cabo Delgado (Mocímboa da Praia, Pemba and Palma) as well as using the roads linking these locations, due to the presence of a terrorist and kidnapping threat.

In fact, lately, the terrorists have been intensifying their attacks in certain districts of Cabo Delgado, causing the death and displacement of local populations, burning public and private infrastructures, as well as extorting money from drivers using the main roads of the province.

According to Gibbs, ExxonMobil, through Rovuma LNG, has never stopped its operations in Cabo Delgado, and is working hard to develop the project in order to streamline actions, in coordination with the French oil and gas company TotalEnergies, which declared force majeure to suspend all activities on its liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, due to a major terrorist raid against the town of Palma, In April 2021.

“We are working in coordination with the Defense and Security Forces and the Ministry of Defense and I want to acknowledge the work done in the interests of security”, he said.

Gibbs did not give any dates for ExxonMobil taking its Final Investment Decision on operations in Area 4, but guaranteed that work being done.

He also said that the company is working with the Mozambican government to help local companies take advantage of the provision of local content to Rovuma LNG.

Since July 2021, the Rwandan Defense Forces and the Southern African Development Community Military Mission (SAMIM) have been working with the Mozambican Defense and Security Forces in the fight against terrorism.

Cabo Delgado is rich in natural gas, but has been plagued by terrorist attacks since 2017 perpetrated by armed groups causing the death of over 3,000 people, most of them civilians.

(AIM)

Pc/ad/pf (491)