TotalEnergies relaunches $20 billion Mozambique gas project 5 years after jihadist attack
## TotalEnergies Relaunches Gas Project in Mozambique
TotalEnergies Relaunches Gas Project in Mozambique
French petroleum company TotalEnergies is resuming its large-scale gas project in northern Mozambique, five years after halting activities due to a jihadist attack. The project had been under force majeure since 2021, following an attack in Cabo Delgado province that resulted in approximately 800 casualties. TotalEnergies is requesting $4.5 billion from the Mozambique government to cover cost overruns associated with the delay.
This liquefied natural gas (LNG) project is anticipated to generate thousands of jobs and is considered the largest private investment in Africa's energy infrastructure. Currently, it employs 4,000 individuals, with 80% being Mozambican nationals.
Additionally, companies such as Italy's ENI and America's ExxonMobil have ongoing gas projects in the region. This has led analysts to suggest that Mozambique could emerge as one of the top ten natural gas producers globally.
French petroleum company TotalEnergies is resuming its large-scale gas project in northern Mozambique, five years after halting activities due to a jihadist attack.
TotalEnergies is also pursuing a 10-year extension to its concession, more than double the length of the original delay. Approval from the government in Maputo is pending.
The northern region of Mozambique has been affected by a jihadist insurgency since late 2017. Although there have been no attacks comparable to the one in 2021, regular assaults on civilians and military personnel are attributed to insurgent activities. The port town of Palma, near the TotalEnergies site, was the scene of a significant attack in 2021, leading to mass displacement and approximately 800 fatalities, according to ACLED, a conflict tracking organization.
Since the onset of the insurgency, over 6,200 deaths have been reported. The group responsible is locally known as "Al-Shabaab," though it has no confirmed ties to the Somali group of the same name. Their objective is to implement Sharia law in Cabo Delgado, an area characterized by socio-economic challenges that have facilitated the rise of radical ideologies.
Based on reporting by Africanews.
