Maputo, May 29, 2026 (Lusa) - Mozambique's government said on Friday that keeping Rwandan forces to fight terrorism in Cabo Delgado province allowed it to gain time to train and prepare national forces to independently protect people and property.
“I do not know the costs or how long they will stay, but the agreements will strictly clarify this matter in the near future, but having this reinforcement allows us to continue to build our country's capacity,” the government spokesperson, Inocêncio Impissa, told journalists at a press conference in Maputo.
“This gives us time to continue reorganising our forces in terms of capacity, equipment, and technology, among others, while we also benefit from the support of friendly forces who secure the region,” he said.
Rwanda announced on 19 May it would remain in Cabo Delgado to fight terrorism, saying that the European Union (EU) had received two requests for financial support with “reluctance”, which Mozambique would now assume.
“The collaboration between the two governments has been successful and will continue along the same lines, since the brotherly country, Mozambique, recognises the work of Rwandan security forces in Cabo Delgado,” Rwanda’s foreign minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, said.
This follows the end of the financial support from the EU, previously scheduled for May, after it disbursed €40 million in two tranches—the initial support and the renewal.
The funding supported the operation that Rwanda has carried out for five years in Cabo Delgado, backing Mozambique's armed forces against terrorist groups operating in the region.
The area contains some of Africa's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) reserves and has been the scene of an insurgency since 2017.
Impissa deferred providing journalists with details about any agreements and costs that secured the Rwandan force's stay in Cabo Delgado, saying the government's priority was protecting people and property.
“The presence of friendly forces here is partly to buy time and help us gain space, time, sufficient resources, and training for our forces to be on the front line,” the government spokesperson said.
Rwanda's government stated there were more than 6,300 soldiers fighting terrorism in northern Mozambique, three times the 2021 deployment.
The EU's diplomatic service said on 22 May that it had not received “any formal request” to extend financial support to Rwandan security forces in Cabo Delgado, whose current programme was ending at the end of May.
PME/LYT // AYLS
Lusa
