A Simmering Conflict in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado Region is Suddenly Getting Worse

Cabo Delgado is Mozambique’s northernmost province, bordering Tanzania. Since 2017, it has been gripped by a violent insurgency, when Islamist militants began attacking villages, towns, and government forces. The region is also home to major natural gas deposits, in which the French energy giant Total has invested heavily. But after a wave of attacks in 2021, Total suspended operations.

Foreign troops—including forces from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community—have since helped the Mozambican government regain some territory. Still, sporadic attacks continue, and the humanitarian crisis remains acute. In recent weeks, there has been a sharp uptick in violence, displacing about 60,000 people.

Joining me to discuss the ongoing crisis in Cabo Delgado, the role of mineral extraction in fueling the conflict, and what the Mozambican government and international community can do to curb the violence is Romao Xavier, Oxfam in Southern Africa's Country Representative for Mozambique. We begin by examining the latest surge in violence before taking a broader look at what drives this conflict—and what it might take to bring it under control.

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