Humanitarian situation in Mozambique

Subject: Humanitarian situation in Mozambique

Islamic militants linked to IS and based in the gas-rich northern province of Mozambique, Cabo Delgado, are becoming increasingly brutal. Atrociously, civilians, sometimes including children under the age of twelve, are being decapitated with machetes.

Almost a third of the 670 000 inhabitants are already fleeing violence, looting and horrific massacres, a sevenfold increase compared to last year. Since 2017, more than 2 600 people have been killed, half of them civilians. Aid organisations such as UNHCR warn that there is a risk of famine affecting at least 1 million people in northern Mozambique.

There is an urgent need to protect the population and to investigate and punish human rights violations. If the EU takes its geopolitical role seriously, such regional crises with a potential global impact should be at the top of the EU-Africa agenda.

In view of the above:

1. Having identified the situation in Mozambique as one of the priorities of the EU-Africa agenda, what specific measures will the EU take?

2. What will the EU do in light of jihadist violence, which seeks to destabilise African societies and constitutes a push factor for migration?

3. Will the EU launch a military training mission in Mozambique to combat Islamic terrorists, as suggested by the Portuguese Minister of Defence?

Joint answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Borrell on behalf of the European Commission (28 May 2021)

In the European Parliament plenary session on 15 December 2020 (1), the High Representative/Vice-President set out his concerns at the humanitarian and security situation in Cabo Delgado Province. Since then, attacks on the town of Palma in March 2021 underlined the severity of the threat and the brutality of the violence.

⋅1∙ https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-9-2020-12-15-ITM-012_EN.html | | ( | | )The EU is ready to support a locally-led, integrated approach encompassing humanitarian, development, security, peacebuilding, and political dimensions, and is in close contact with both Mozambique and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Re-establishing the rule of law is critical: the EU insists on accountability for those found responsible for violating international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

The EU is also working with the United Nations, World Bank and African Development Bank to carry out a Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment for Northern Mozambique.

EU humanitarian funding in Mozambique is already focusing on Cabo Delgado and its neighbouring provinces. Since 2020, the resources mobilised (over EUR 15 million) have been allocated to assist conflict-affected populations with food, water and sanitation, education in emergencies, protection and access to healthcare.

Two EU projects (2) worth EUR 5 million are underway to promote peace and stabilisation in Cabo Delgado and neighbouring provinces by building confidence between the government and communities and strengthening social cohesion.

As regards the security sector, work is ongoing to define the scope of training and capacity building of Mozambique’s relevant security forces under the Common Security and Defence Policy. At the same time, EU Member States may carry out their bilateral engagements.

⋅2∙ Financing decision C(2020) 8674 final 8.12.2020 | | ( | | )