Tanzania, France discuss peace and security in northern Mozambique, eastern DRC

Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, and her French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, discussed security situations in northern Mozambique and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during their bilateral talks in Paris on May 14.

The talks between the two leaders were held at the Élysée Palace in Paris, on the sidelines of the Africa Clean Cooking Conference that was taking place at the Unesco’s headquarters in Paris and was being co-chaired by President Samia, the Director of Presidential Communications, Ms Zuhura Yunus, told reporters in Dar es Salaam on May 17.

“The two leaders discussed issues pertaining to peace and security in northern Mozambique and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Ms Yunus said without divulging further details.

Tanzania is militarily involved in both northern Mozambique and the eastern DRC. Tanzania’s People Defence Forces (TPDF) troops were deployed in Mozambique in July 2021 and in the DRC in December 2023 under the auspices of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) missions.

Following the end of the Sadc Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) in the Cabo Delgado province – with Sadc troops’ withdrawal set to be completed by July 2024 – Tanzanian troops would remain in a bilateral arrangement.

TotalEnergies, a French oil giant, has invested in a $20 billion Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) project in Cabo Delgado, but its operations have been disrupted by terrorist attacks since 2021.

Defence minister Stergomena Tax told The Citizen on May 5, 2024, that the overstaying of Tanzanian troops in Cabo Delgado was a normal arrangement similar to those done with other countries.

“Yes, our soldiers will continue their stay in Mozambique beyond July 15. It is not a unique thing, there are several such bilateral arrangements in Mozambique with other countries,” Dr Tax told The Citizen.

The Sadc Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) was deployed to support the DRC government in restoring peace and security in the eastern part of the vast country, which has witnessed an increase in conflicts and instability caused by the resurgence of armed groups.