Page 7 - GLNG Week 07 2021

GLNG COMMENTARY GLNG

aspects of the project forward, and plans to reportedly scored a number of successes
bring the liquefaction plant’s first 6.44mn tonne against ASWJ. Africanews noted last week that
per year (tpy) production train on stream in the number of attacks by insurgents had been
2024 have not changed, he stressed. going down since the beginning of the year. It
“Stopping for two or three months does not also reported that the armed forces had killed a
mean we can’t hit the 2024 target,” the Total number of suspected ASWJ members in a series
CEO remarked. of air raids and ground attacks.
“My highest priority is the security of ... the Additionally, it said that analysts and mili-
staff who work on the ground in Mozambique,” tary sources believed that the Islamist group
he added. was running low on supplies. For example, it
quoted Calton Cadeado, a security researcher
Facing the insurgency at the Joaquim Chissano University in Maputo,
He went on to say that establishing this safe zone as saying that the Islamist group was not only
was necessary because of civil conflict in Cabo running out of the ammunition and weapons it
Delgado. had seized from military bases last year but was
“The security situation is problematic because also short on food, because its incursions had
jihadist groups got to within less than 10 km [of] prevented many local farmers from planting
the site,” he was quoted as saying by Africanews. and harvesting. The Mozambique
He was referring to the fact that some of the “Where do you get food if there are no people
areas within the designated perimeter were the producing it in the area at this point? There is LNG consortium
scene of heavy fighting between soldiers and no war without supplies, without logistics,” he is still working to
members of Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jamo (ASWJ), an remarked.
Islamist group that has links to the Islamic State Cadeado also pointed to FADM’s recent vic- drive the offshore
(Daesh), last November and December. tories. “We are seeing a success of the govern-
ASWJ is looking to seize control of Cabo Del- ment forces’ offensive strategy,” he told AFP. He and engineering
gado, but Pouyanné said last week that he hoped also said that relations between the armed forces
to see FADM re-establish control over the entire and residents of Cabo Delgado had “improved aspects of the
province. “It is the government’s responsibility a lot” recently. project forward.
to secure the area for this project to continue. If conditions continue to improve along these
With the deployment of forces, the whole of lines, Total may very well be able to resume work
Cabo Delgado Province will be secure,” he said. on the Mozambique LNG project by the end of
March, in line with Pouyanné’s predictions.
FADM gains momentum However, Cadeado advised caution, speculating
In the past, observers have expressed doubt that ASWJ might shift from trying to gain ter-
about FADM’s ability to regain the upper hand ritory and followers in Cabo Delgado to attack-
in Cabo Delgado, raising questions about the ing the liquefaction plant and other gas facilities.
armed forces’ capabilities and capacity to work “The worst scenario would be for them to scale
with residents of the remote northern province. back wider attacks but strike the heart of the
But within the last month, FADM has LNG complex,” he said.™

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