Page 5 - AfrOil Week 07 2021

AfrOil COMMENTARY AfrOil

Total and its partners had been using the port as about FADM’s ability to regain the upper hand
the main delivery point for equipment needed to in Cabo Delgado, raising questions about the
build the Mozambique LNG plant on the Afungi armed forces’ capabilities and capacity to work
Peninsula before losing access to it last August. with residents of the remote northern province.
Pouyanné also said that Total and its partners But within the last month, FADM has report-
hoped to remain on schedule even though they edly scored a number of successes against ASWJ.
had to evacuate around 9,000 workers from the Africanews noted last week that the number of
onshore site earlier this year, bringing the size attacks by insurgents had been going down since
of the team working at the site down to about the beginning of the year. It also reported that
1,000. The Mozambique LNG consortium is still the armed forces had killed a number of sus-
working to drive the offshore and engineering pected ASWJ members in a series of air raids
aspects of the project forward, and plans to bring and ground attacks.
the liquefaction plant’s first 6.44mn tonne per Additionally, it said that analysts and mil-
year (tpy) production train on stream in 2024 itary sources believed that the Islamist group
have not changed, he stressed. was running low on supplies. For example, it
“Stopping for two or three months does not quoted Calton Cadeado, a security researcher
mean we can’t hit the 2024 target,” the Total CEO at the Joaquim Chissano University in Maputo,
remarked. as saying that the Islamist group was not only Within the last
“My highest priority is the security of ... the running out of the ammunition and weapons it
staff who work on the ground in Mozambique,” had seized from military bases last year but was month, FADM
he added. also short on food, because its incursions had
prevented many local farmers from planting has reportedly
Facing the insurgency and harvesting. scored a number
He went on to say that establishing this safe zone “Where do you get food if there are no people
was necessary because of civil conflict in Cabo producing it in the area at this point? There is of successes
Delgado. no war without supplies, without logistics,” he
“The security situation is problematic remarked. against ASWJ
because jihadist groups got to within less than 10 Cadeado also pointed to FADM’s recent vic-
km [of] the site,” he was quoted as saying by Afri- tories. “We are seeing a success of the govern-
canews. He was referring to the fact that some of ment forces’ offensive strategy,” he told AFP. He
the areas within the designated perimeter were also said that relations between the armed forces
the scene of heavy fighting between soldiers and and residents of Cabo Delgado had “improved
members of Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jamo (ASWJ), an a lot” recently.
Islamist group that has links to the Islamic State If conditions continue to improve along these
(Daesh), last November and December. lines, Total may very well be able to resume work
ASWJ is looking to seize control of Cabo Del- on the Mozambique LNG project by the end
gado, but Pouyanné said last week that he hoped of next month, in line with Pouyanné’s recent
to see FADM re-establish control over the entire predictions.
province. “It is the government’s responsibility However, Cadeado advised caution, spec-
to secure the area for this project to continue. ulating that ASWJ might shift from trying to
With the deployment of forces, the whole of gain territory and followers in Cabo Delgado
Cabo Delgado Province will be secure,” he said. to attacking the liquefaction plant and other gas
facilities. “The worst scenario would be for them
FADM gains momentum to scale back wider attacks but strike the heart of
In the past, observers have expressed doubt the LNG complex,” he said. ™

(Image: Anadarko)

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