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SADC Troika summit will not make a difference to the volatile situation in Mozambique: Analyst

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Security analyst, Dr Guy Lamb, says he does not believe that the current input of the special SADC Troika summit will make a difference to the volatile situation in the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado.

The meeting, which has been postponed, was due to consider the deployment of around 3 000 troops to help combat deadly militant attacks in the past few months.

The meeting was to receive a report from a team sent to Mozambique to assess the security situation and identify ways to support the country after insurgents attacked the coastal town of Palma, displacing tens of thousands of people and stalling a $60 billion natural gas project.

The gas project by French oil major Total is meant to transform the economy of one of Africa’s poorest countries.

Masisi’s office says the meeting was put off due to the unavailability of Botswana’s President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa.

Dr Lamb says there is no immediate threat to the region.

“I mean the postponement is understandable given the kind of dynamics involved about Botswana and South Africa. Presidents have other important priorities at the moment but Cabo Delgado is going nowhere but of ’cause for a number of weeks what happens in Palma, the violence and escalation of conflict. Movement by the insurgents there but the decision regarding employing the number of troops from SADC still has an issue that needs to be considered as import but certainly not to be made today,”says Lamb.

Botswana is the current chair of the SADC division, which is tasked with promoting peace and security in the region.

Masisi went into self-quarantine on Tuesday after the detection of a case of COVID-19 among his staff, while South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa is giving testimony to an inquiry into corruption under his predecessor Jacob Zuma.

SADC leaders to meet over Mozambique insurgency:  

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