Professor Adriano Nuvunga, director at the Mozambique Centre fir Democracy And Development, told eNCA that the SADC technical deployment that was agreed yesterday will be made up of military experts who will provide their recommendations within one month.
Interview Transcript
eNCA
I’m joined now from Maputo by the director of the Mozambique center for democracy and development, Professor Adriano Nuvunga, Professor, thank you so much for your time. Are you able to give us an idea of what the technical deployment to Mozambique might mean.
Prof Adriano Nuvunga
Good evening and thank you very much. We think this technical deployment, It will mean military experts, joining the military defense force at the ministerial level to help Mozambique, in its in its attempt to have a full understanding of the dynamics of this conflict, but also help Mozambique, take a proper needs assessment of what is needed to fight this violent extremism, and see how the region can best contribute with Mozambique, of course, in the leadership of the nation, and taking into account the existing capacity in the region.
eNCA
Alright so you expect it to be a military experts deployment. Is this likely to be the precursor to troops from the region, assisting the Mozambique troops or is that not yet clear.
Prof Adriano Nuvunga
I think it is too early to look at this mission, from that perspective, but I was briefed, that needs assessment is one of the key issue that the mission is to be looking at, of course, considering Mozambique’s initial reluctance to have the region, participating. We can say that an important progress was made today, and SADC is to be commended for pushing for these for this Troika Summit, and also making it clear that there is a need for a regional involvement, but these technical deployment will in a month, come up with a recommendation on how to go about, but of course, taking into account that Mozambique, has been reluctant. And we think that the region will remain relevant as an important interlocutor, but at the moment I think it’s premature to think of a military intervention.
eNCA
We know that many 1000s of people have been displaced, there’s also of course, the critical issue of the Total gas field development which now seems to be indefinitely on hold, let’s deal with the humanitarian mission first. Do you think that this is also going to require a regional response that perhaps we need humanitarian organizations which we know have been battling in the area. But do you think we need more input to look after the people who’ve been traumatized and displaced in that region.
Prof Adriano Nuvunga
No doubt. Cabo Delgado, At the moment, is Mozambique’s biggest humanitarian crisis since independence. People are starving. There are still people in the forest, seeking support to be taken to safe areas, and these new wave, it adds to the already existing. More than half a million people that are around Palma have been Displaced since December 2020.
So, at the humanitarian level, the region needs to act most urgently.
Total, as the oil and gas giant in the area, it needs to be part of that conversation because stability is important for LNG infrastructure to resume soon.
eNCA
Yeah and I would imagine that that development, and that investment in that project is absolutely critical to Mozambique’s. Bottom line, one of the big things we hear about though is that the part of the reason that this terrorist group may have gained a foothold, is that the people in that area feel disenfranchised, they feel separated from any development that happens in the province. Do you think it’s important as well, that an effort is made to bring the communities in the area on board for any solutions in economic solutions and development, so they feel part of progress. Any progress that is made.
Prof Adriano Nuvunga
You absolutely right, we have indicated, time and time again that the ecosystem of governance in that region and in Mozambique General has been conductive for this to happen. There is an elite based extractivism taking place without development without the participation. And if you look at how all of that model has been evolving over the years, you will understand that that might not have triggered the conflict, but has created the conductive environment for grudges by people to start to recruit easily amongst the youth.
Therefore, while the there is a military approach to stabilize the region, there is a great deal of need, and urgency for humanitarian assistance, and the socio economic initiatives to address some of the key grievances, which have led to that situation, for this kind of conflict to erupt.
eNCA
Thank you so much for your time, much appreciated that was Professor Adriano, Director At the Mozambique center for democracy and development coming to us from.
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