The Mozambican President said that the funding of 1.4 billion meticals (20 million euros) approved by the European Union (EU) to support Rwandan troops in Cabo Delgado directly benefits Mozambican forces. Filipe Nyusi explained that the support strengthens the capacity of the Rwandan forces, which work closely with Mozambican troops in the fight against terrorism in the north of the country.
According to the newspaper O País, speaking on Wednesday (20) in Harare, Zimbabwe, after the close of the Extraordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Nyusi answered questions about why the funding was channelled to Rwanda and not directly to Mozambique.
The head of state explained that the country already benefits from direct EU support in several strategic areas, such as military training, which so far has totalled around 56 billion meticals (800 million euros).
In addition, he emphasised that the Mozambican Armed Forces also receive assistance worth 6.2 billion meticals (89 million euros) through the EU Training Mission in Mozambique (EUTM). ‘This funding to Rwanda complements regional efforts to stabilise Cabo Delgado, where cooperation between the two countries has been fundamental,’ he said.
The European funding is part of the European Peace Facility (EPF), created in 2021 to support military and defence actions in third states and regional organisations. This instrument aims to prevent conflicts, preserve peace and strengthen international security and stability.
Since 2017, Cabo Delgado has been the target of terrorist attacks that have caused more than 4,000 deaths and displaced just as many people. EU support, whether through Mozambique or Rwanda, is considered an essential reinforcement to consolidate the progress made in combating terrorism and restoring stability in the north of the country.
