While speaking during a signing ceremony of an agreement formalising World Bank support of US$100M assistance to the affected districts, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi unreservedly reiterated his detailed plan to enforce nation-wide security by cracking down on the militant groups who have been staging attacks in parts of the northern province of Cabo Delgado since October 2017.He also informed that courage, persistence and determination are necessary for the full-fledged fulfilment of the plan, as well as time for modernising and building the capacity of the Mozambican forces, adding that his government has to tread cautiously in choosing what type of aid to accept from other countries.An integral part of the actions involved in the plan focuses on the Indian Ocean coastline, control over the borders with neighbouring countries (especially for northern Mozambique bordering Tanzania) and joint efforts between Mozambique and its allies, including sharing intelligence.Nyusi’s statement came a day before Maputo hosted the Extraordinary Troika Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to discuss the conflict in Cabo Delgado and possible support from neighbouring countries.The 16-nation SADC is counting on funding from the United States and European Union (EU) to support its proposed military deployment (3,000 troops) in Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique, according to Andre Thomashausen, professor emeritus of international law at the University of South Africa (UNISA).Thomashausen said that the group “is desperately seeking” ways to strengthen and rehabilitate its military operational capabilities through the intervention in northern Mozambique and “SADC wants this entire operation to be funded by support from the European Union and, to some extent, the United States. SADC is envisaging a role for the European Union of financial rather than logistical or human resources support.”SADC technical assessment mission has proposed sending a military intervention force of 3,000 troops as part of its response to help fight the militant insurgency in Mozambique. In terms of military assets, the SADC assessment team proposes that 16 vessels be sent to Mozambique, namely two patrol ships, a submarine, a maritime surveillance plane, six helicopters, two drones and four transport planes.On April 28, Southern African ministers agreed to deploy a regional force in Mozambique. But the Southern African leaders’ meeting that was to assess the security situation and offer the final approval for deployment of SADC military force was postponed due to the unavailability of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi.Botswana is the current chair of the SADC division, which is tasked with promoting peace and security in the region. Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi is quarantined due to Covid-19. Ramaphosa was busy giving testimony to an inquiry into corruption under his predecessor Jacob Zuma.Botswana and South Africa along with Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, are the current members of the SADC security organ troika. The three would have met Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi at the summit to decide whether to accept the proposed intervention plan.The insurgency broke out in Mozambique’s northeast in 2017 and the rebels have stepped up attacks in the past years, with the latest March 24 heinous attack left more than 2,800 deaths, according to several reports, and about 714,000 people displaced, according to government sources.

Source: Further Africa