Rwanda warns that it may withdraw troops to Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado, which is a heavily insurgent area.

Rwanda has indicated that it may withdraw its troops from the?Mozambique province of Cabo Delgado, where they?help to counter deadly insurgents attacks, if a sufficient and predictable external funding was not provided.

In a recent post on X, Rwandan Government spokesperson Yolande Makoo stated that the deployment of 2021 at Mozambique’s request has helped stabilise previously insurgent areas linked to Islam.

Bloomberg reported Thursday that the European Union support for the mission will expire in may with no plans to renew.

EU officials in Brussels didn't immediately respond to my request for comment.

Makolo, citing the Bloomberg report said that the sustainability of the deployment depends on "adequate and predictable funding".

She added, "If the?RDF Command (Rwanda Defence Force Command) assesses that the work being?done in Cabo Delgado by Rwandan Security?Forces is not appreciated, then they would be correct to urge the Government to end this bilateral anti-terrorism arrangement and withdraw."

Requests for comment from the Mozambican Government were not immediately answered.

Makolo, a Rwandan official, said that the country has received about 20 million euros (about 23 million dollars) from the EU. This is a fraction of what the mission cost, he added, and the Rwandan government spent at least ten times as much.

TotalEnergies halted construction on its $20 billion liquefied gas project in Mozambique in 2017 due to the insurgency that erupted there. The French energy company and Mozambican authorities agreed in January to resume construction of the project.

Officials say that security has improved in Cabo Delgado with the deployment of Rwandan troops around Total's Afungi Construction site. Officials say that the Islamist insurgency continues to simmer, despite its weakened state.

(source: Reuters)