Total has assured the Mozambican Head of State, Filipe Nyusi, of the payment of “pending values” to small and medium companies contracted in the natural gas project in Cabo Delgado, a source from the Maputo government told Lusa on Wednesday.
The French oil company gave the guarantees during a meeting on Monday in Paris between the head of state and the president of Total, Patrick Pouyanné, as part of Filipe Nyusi’s working visit to France.
“Total ensures the payment of outstanding amounts with small and medium Mozambican companies contracted under the implementation of the Golfinho/Atum project,” a government source, who accompanied the meeting, told Lusa.
Mozambique and Total reaffirmed to have common objectives in the project of natural gas development in Cabo Delgado province, north of the country.
“We are working with the support of several friendly countries for a better training of our armed forces and to have better logistical conditions and intelligence information” to stop the action of insurgents in Cabo Delgado, said the source.
At the meeting with Filipe Nyusi, Total expressed its commitment to resume the natural gas project “as soon as security conditions are restored.
At Monday’s meeting, Total’s chairman said the company had experienced a “dramatic” situation
Total suspended activities at the natural gas exploration project in Afungi following attacks by armed groups on March 24, then activated the “force majeure” clause in contractual relations with its partners in the venture.
Speaking to journalists on Monday in Paris, the head of state said Total will return to Mozambique when everything “is calm,” referring to the armed conflict in the north of the country, after meeting with the chairman of the oil company’s board.
“Total can demand that there is tranquility and there is peace to develop its economic projects. […] It has helped in terms of social responsibility, with hospitals and schools, they have helped in the distribution of water to the population. [Total will return] when it is calm,” the Mozambican president assured reporters.
At Monday’s meeting, Total’s CEO said the company had experienced a “dramatic” situation.
“Of course we faced in Cabo Delgado, in Palma, a dramatic situation recently, so we had to take decisions,” namely “not keeping staff in Afungi,” he said, adding that the company has “full” confidence in the Mozambican government to appease the region.
“As soon as Cabo Delgado has peace again, Total will return,” the French oil company’s CEO assured.
