European Parliament
2019-2024
Subcommittee on Security and Defence
19.10.2022
MISSION REPORT
Following the ad hoc delegation to Mozambique
Subcommittee on Security and Defence
Members of the mission:
Nathalie Loiseau
(Renew) (Leader of the mission)
Arnaud Danjean
(PPE)
Attila Ara-Kovács
(S&D)
Isabel Santos
(S&D)
Jaak Madison
(ID)
Lars Patrick Berg
(ECR)
Mick Wallace
(The Left)
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United in diversity
EN
Introduction
A seven-member delegation of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Security and
Defence (SEDE) led by the SEDE Chair Ms Nathalie Loiseau, visited Mozambique for the first
time on 18 - 21 September 2022.
Since 2017, Cabo Delgado has been affected by increased levels of violence linked to the
activities of armed groups of criminals and attacks claimed by the Islamic State. The region is
therefore facing a major humanitarian, security and political crisis.
In July 2021, the Council of the European Union adopted the Decision (CFSP) 2021/1143
establishing a two-year European Union Military Training Mission (EUTM) in Mozambique.
The mission will provide training and capacity building to the Mozambican armed forces, in
order to help them protect the civilian population and restore security in the region of Cabo
Delgado. The operation reached its full operational capability in mid-December 2021 and relies
on around 140 military personnel divided between two training centres. The common costs of
€89 million for the mission are covered via the European Peace Facility (EPF).
EUTM Mozambique is a component of the EU’s wider integrated approach to peacebuilding,
which relies on a multi-dimensional and multi-phased management of the crises in the region.
The Union’s three main areas of intervention are:
1) Humanitarian assistance- the EU has already provided €32 million support in food,
shelter and education. In terms of development, the Union has provided €348 million in
green, youth, governance and peace projects. Mediation efforts have also led EUTM
Mozambique to interact with UN agencies (e.g. UNHC and UNICEF), regional
organisations and countries, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and
NGOs;
2) Prevention of radicalisation and terrorism - reaching out to marginalized groups and
unemployed youth and emphasising the importance of human rights and the respect of
international humanitarian law;
3) Improvement of the capabilities of defence and security forces.
Summary account of meetings
The agenda of the mission featured meetings with:
• Ms Verónica MACAMO, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation;
• Maj Gen Cristovão CHUME, Minister of Defence;
• Ms Esperança BIAS, President of the Assembly of the Republic;
• Representatives of the Mozambican Parliament’s Defence Committee;
• EU Ambassadors in Mozambique;
• Civil society representatives, local and international media outlets;
• EUTM HQ (Maputo) and EUTM training camp (Chimoio, Manica province).
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Main topics discussed
Security challenges and assessment of EUTM Mozambique
The mission focused on the security situation in Mozambique and in particular on the ongoing
terrorism in the Northern provinces. In particular, the missions assessed CSDP-related issues,
including the EU Training Mission (EUTM) Mozambique and the assistance provided under
the European Peace Facility. The SEDE delegation met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs
and Cooperation, and the Minister of Defence. MEPs also made a courtesy call to the President
of the Mozambican Parliamentary Assembly and met with their homologues in the
Mozambican Parliament’s Defence Committee. The SEDE delegation visited EUTM HQ in
Maputo and the EUTM training camp in Chimoio, in the Manica province. The programme also
included a meeting with a group of civil society representatives working on the security
challenges in Cabo Delgado, as well as with the EU Ambassadors residing in the country. At
the end of the visit, MEP Loiseau, as the Chair of the delegation, held a press conference with
local and international media outlets. The visit received good media coverage.
The mission was overall fruitful. Building upon the recent visit of HRVP, MEPs were received
at a high political level (Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence and the Parliamentary
Speaker), which is an indication of Mozambique's appreciation of the strong partnership with
the EU. The EU Delegation and EUTM briefed on the EU's priorities and challenges in
Mozambique, including the so-called “integrated approach” of which the EUTM is an integral
part and leading example of a new generation of EUTMs that have been designed to be more
flexible, adaptable and backed up by the EPF to provide capabilities to the host nation armed
forces. Based on the visit, it is expected that the SEDE Committee will convey strong support
to the EUTM Mozambique, but it will likely ask for explanations regarding the implementation
mechanism related to the European Peace Facility, with the aim of speeding up the delivery of
the equipment to the Mozambican armed forces.
In the meetings with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence, both Ministers recognized
the important support the EU is providing to Mozambique in the fight against terrorism. They
reiterated President Nyusi's request to the HRVP to provide support not only to the Southern
African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (known as “SAMIM”) but also to
the Rwandan contingent in Cabo Delgado. They also repeated the request to the EU to provide
additional equipment to the Mozambican armed forces. In her meetings with the host
authorities, the Chair reiterated the EU's position on the war in Ukraine, and called on
Mozambique to contribute to ending the conflict as a non-permanent UN Security Council
member from January 2023 onwards. On Ukraine, the Mozambican interlocutors maintained
their well-known position of neutrality, although recognizing the suffering of the civilian
population in Ukraine and the disastrous economic impact the conflict is having on
Mozambique and globally. The Minister of Defence also informed the SEDE delegation about
the forthcoming visit of the President of Tanzania. Among others, the meeting between
Presidents Nyusi and Samia will address bilateral security cooperation in the Cabo Delgado
region.
Conclusions
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The mission was overall fruitful. For the first time, the SEDE delegation was accompanied by
the Chief of Staff of the EU Military Staff throughout the mission. Furthermore, the EEAS
provided substantive briefings to the EP prior to the mission, thereby largely facilitating the
understanding of the situation and of the issues at stake.
Since its launch, the Mission has favoured effective coordination within the country (e.g. with
the UN, SADC, SAMIM, RW, EUDEL Mozambican authorities and national Embassies). The
effectiveness of EUTM training is being further increased through Quick Impact Projects
(QIP), aimed at improving the living conditions of the Mozambican trained forces.
Extensive coverage of the SEDE Chair’s press conference with local and international media
outlets. Footage from the meeting with the president of the Mozambican Parliament was on
national TV and the meeting was reported in the press.
SEDE Mission underlined the importance of providing the EUTM with all the means to carry
out its mandate efficiently, including resolving the problems caused by the delayed finalisation
of the Status of Mission Agreement.
Further reading
On 22 September 2022, the EUTM MOZ has published the first-ever mission book of an EU
mission that on 336 pages provides a deep insight in the first year of the EUTM. The press
release with the link to the Mission book is available from the EEAS website at
https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eutm-mozambique/eutm-mozambique-publishes-its-
%E2%80%9Cmission-book-first-year%E2%80%9D en?s=4411.
The direct link to the electronic publication of the mission book is at
https://online.fliphtml5.com/ayrme/dmno/#p=1.
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