Rwanda Threatens Mozambique Troop Withdrawal

Rwanda has indicated it may withdraw its troops from Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province if external funding for their counter-insurgency mission is not sustained. The European Union's financial support, which has partially funded the mission since 2021, is set to expire in May with no plans for renewal. Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo stated that the sustainability of the deployment depends on 'adequate, predictable funding' and that the Rwanda Defence Force might urge withdrawal if their efforts are not appreciated. This development raises concerns for Mozambique, where the Rwandan deployment has significantly improved security, particularly around TotalEnergies' $20 billion liquefied natural gas project, which had recently agreed to resume construction after being halted by the insurgency.