African countries are employing the same tactics used by rich countries to fulfill their goals. One of the main objectives of foreign policy is to find the weak points of countries and exploit them for your own profit. Recently, Mozambique has been successful in this attempt and is now reaping the benefits of exploiting the West.
Recently, President Filipe Nyusi announced that Mozambique has begun exporting its liquefied natural gas (LNG) which is being produced in the northern region of the nation. This is the first shipment of gas to Europe under a long-term contract with a British firm, BP. The plant which is in the region of Cabo Delgado of Mozambique is operated by an Italian energy corporation called Eni.
Nyusi stated, “It is with great honor that I announce the start of the first export of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), produced in the Rovuma, in Mozambique, by the Coral Sul FLNG Project. The British Sponsor ship departs Mozambican waters for the international market.” (sic)
The African nation has grand expectations from its huge natural gas reserves which is regarded as the largest in the region of sub-Saharan Africa. The gas deposits were discovered a decade ago in Cabo Delgado.
It is widely said that if gas is properly extracted, then Mozambique can become one of the major exporters.
Terrorism problem
Now, we at TFI previously explained to you that there is a terrorist organization called Al Shabab in Mozambique, active in its region of Cabo Delgado. It started its reign of terror five years ago and is involved dozens of massacres and brutalities. It must be noted here that this is a different Al Shabab than the one existing in Somalia although both have connections with ISIS.
In order to curb this menace, South Africa and Botswana extended their assistance to Mozambique in its battle to eradicate Al Shabab from its land. These nations decided to deploy their military forces in the Cabo Delgado region as they know that Mozambique will have a safe future if Al Shabab is completely defeated resulting in a comparatively peaceful Africa.
It is a new phenomenon in Africa where countries are not depending on Western nations for their security and are also rejecting the politically-influenced UN Peacekeeping missions. The countries are coming together to defeat the menaces present in a nation even if the insurgents present in a country does not affect other countries.
The instances from Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo are enough to prove this phenomenon. On one hand Eritrea helped Ethiopia to tackle the West-backed TPLF menace and on the other, Kenya and other nations deployed their forces to tackle the M23 insurgents.
The governments of Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana also decided to not seek the help of the West. Because they realize that allowing it into their territory would further escalate the problems instead of improving the security situation because of West’s nefarious agendas.
Mozambique’s plan
Now, you must be thinking, if Mozambique did not want to establish a military relationship with the West, then why is it forging economic ties with it? The answer is simple, this is diplomacy and Mozambique is employing it successfully in its foreign policy. President Nyusi clearly knows when to use the US and Europe to further his nation’s interests.
Nyusi is using that helplessness of Europe after Ukraine-Russia conflict to sell gas to Europe. Mozambique is allowing the West to enter only those sectors which incentivize both the parties while giving minimal or no strategic advantage to a foreign power.
Mozambique, which possesses 100 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves, is on the 14th spot in the world and has reserves which will last till 1,546 years. It is showing the way, to other African nations, on how to treat the US and Europe. And that is by not letting them into one’s territory but using them for political and financial gains, which is something that they have been doing with Africa for decades.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_oiRGF2v5Y