Until the world understands – and addresses – the root causes of the crisis in Cabo Delgado, there will never be a lasting solution, according to Professor Adriano Nuvunga, the director for Mozambique’s Centre for Democracy and Human Rights.
“We were so happy with the South Africa-led SAMIM (Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique),” Nuvunga told delegates at the recent Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2024 conference, organised by defenceWeb. “We were excited to see all the military equipment, but now the mission is over and the problem is still there.”
There had been too much of a focus on a military solution for a military problem, he said, with the net effect that a project which was supposed to uplift the people of Mozambique through the beneficiation of the gas reserves in the northern part of the country was not happening.
The private sector had not helped either for the same reasons.
“Many contracts had been signed with security companies, but they failed to deliver solutions,” he told delegates.
Instead, as had happened throughout Africa, government failure had led to the exclusion and marginalisation of the youth.
“When you fail, you’re creating an army of young people easy to be radicalised.”
Violent extremism and radicalism were being driven by government failure because there was no opening for inclusive solutions, he said. Instead, there had been a vast cost and no creation of any infrastructure.
“Money we don’t have has been procuring military solutions for a political problem taking away money to address the problems that created the original problem,” he said, perpetuating a cycle of failure.
“My message is that we need to set things right, we need to get governance right.”
The answer lies in a proper public private partnership inspired by good governance and outcomes.
In Cabo Delgado, he said, the feeling was that the equipment that had been brought in to suppress the revolt had been brought in to kill the children.
Future companies signing contracts with the government had to refuse to be party to them unless they could bring about a lasting solution to the area. The same applied to those providing security solutions for the gas and mining companies, he said.
“Your companies won’t make any money (because of the instability) and then they will not pay you and you will close your doors.”
