The European Union said September 8 it would provide additional support to the African military mission in Mozambique as Islamist attacks threaten gas projects designed to reduce the EU’s dependence on Russian energy, Reuters reported.
After the introduction of sanctions against Russia, the EU is looking for alternative energy sources, and Mozambique ranks third in Africa in terms of proven gas reserves.
Since 2017, however, the South African nation has been fighting Islamist militants in its gas-rich northern province of Cabo Delgado. The conflict is taking place near billion-dollar liquefied natural gas projects being developed by Western companies including France’s Total and Italy’s ENI.
The EU said it had agreed a €15 million aid to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in Mozambique that is fighting militants.
In an internal report released to Reuters, the EU warned of a “highly volatile” situation in northern Mozambique, despite the fact that the SADC mission and a contingent of troops from Rwanda managed to contain the militants.
The financial support was announced a day after Mozambique announced that rebels had beheaded at least six people and killed an Italian nun in the northern province of Nampula
