Maputo, July 14, 2026 (Lusa) - Mozambique is seeking a two-year extension of the European Union (EU) military mission in Cabo Delgado, the president of Mozambique, Daniel Chapo, told Lusa, expressing his gratitude for European support and highlighting Portugal’s role in the process.
“We have completed the support phase under the first agreement, and we are now in the negotiation phase for an extension of at least two years, because we believe it is extremely important,” the president said before leaving for Lisbon on an official visit.
In an interview with Lusa in Maputo, Chapo thanked the EU Member States for their support to Mozambique in the fight against terrorism and highlighted the role of Portugal, which led the previous (2022 to 2024) EU Military Training Mission in Mozambique (EUTM-MOZ) and is leading the current (since 2024) military assistance mission EUMAM MOZ, which the EU extended in May for a further six months, until the end of the year.
“Portugal and Mozambique have been cooperating in the field of defence and security for many years. It is a long-standing relationship, particularly with regard to support for the Mozambican Armed Forces in terms of education, capacity-building and training,” he said.
The missions were carried out under the European Peace Facility, which also provided €89 million to purchase non-lethal equipment and provide logistical support to equip 11 Rapid Reaction Companies (QRF) of the Mozambican Armed Forces, trained by EUTM-MOZ.
According to the president, cooperation between the two countries in this sector “is long-standing”, and he also expressed his gratitude for the support provided by the EU and Portugal since the start of the armed insurgency in Cabo Delgado in 2017.
“I would like to thank the EU and Portugal in particular for the fact that, during this period, we have had this support in the fight against terrorism,” he said.
He highlighted the support for the training and capacity-building of the Mozambican Armed Defence Forces (FADM), and the solidarity shown by European partners since the start of the conflict: “We feel this solidarity, this warmth, this closeness, and we believe that together we will be able to remain united and cohesive.”
For Daniel Chapo, the fight against terrorism requires a coordinated international response, as it is a threat that transcends borders, occurring in Mozambique in a province with some of the largest gas reserves in Africa.
“We must unite, as a world, to be able to combat terrorism,” he argued.
The president also linked stability in Cabo Delgado to the protection of the province’s major natural gas projects, which also involve European interests.
“Terrorism is taking place in an area where we have gas projects. And these gas projects are not just Mozambican projects; they are projects that will also benefit the EU itself,” he stated, recalling that these ventures are led by the French company TotalEnergies and the Italian company Eni – both from EU member states – and noting that they represent two investments totalling around $30 billion (€26.3 billion).
“It is extremely important that we all ensure security in Cabo Delgado and restore peace to the province,” he added.
According to the president of Mozambique, the restoration of security is an essential condition for the development of Mozambique and of the partners involved in the province’s energy projects.
“With peace, we can develop not only Cabo Delgado and Mozambique, but also the countries that make up the European Union, and Portugal in particular,” he said.
Daniel Chapo also called for continued international cooperation to achieve lasting stability in the province: “So that, united, we can truly continue to combat terrorism.”
“Every country in the world needs peace and security to develop. Mozambique needs peace and security to continue developing,” he concluded.
In May, the Council of the European Union extended EUMAM MOZ's mandate by six months, until 31 December 2026. The aim is to continue the capacity-building programmes for the Mozambican Armed Forces (FADM), particularly the Rapid Reaction Forces, including training, logistics and maintenance.
Since 1 September 2024, EUMAM MOZ has implemented more than 40 capacity-building programmes, involving around 1,200 Mozambican military personnel. The mission, led by Portugal, comprises more than 80 military personnel and civilians from 11 EU Member States and Serbia.
The previous EUTM-MOZ trained, over two years, more than 1,700 Mozambican commandos and marines, who are currently deployed in 11 QRF companies tasked with combating the insurgency in Cabo Delgado.
Since October 2017, Cabo Delgado has faced an armed insurgency linked to extremist groups associated with the Islamic State, a conflict that has already claimed around 6,600 lives and displaced 1.1 million people, according to figures from international organisations.
PVJ/ADB // ADB.
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