Experts argue that the country needs to rethink the development model of the northern zone in order to stop the expansion of terrorism, which feeds on feelings of exclusion, especially among young people with no expectations in life.

Several researchers cited by VOA, identified that the cause of the conflict in Cabo Delgado, and which has now expanded into neighboring Niassa, is related to poverty, regional asymmetries, social exclusion and inequality, although this thesis is rejected by the government, which sees the situation as pure terrorism.

João Feijó, researcher for the Rural Environment Observatory (OMR), considers that in addition to these factors, there is also talk of great pressure for access to land and the expulsion, in a very violent way, of garimpeiros (artisanal miners) from areas where they used to do artisanal mining.

"There is a violent penetration of capital, to the detriment of local populations who feel unprotected in relation to people coming from outside, in a context marked by corruption and social chaos, where all the fuel is gathered so that at the slightest ignition, these problems can turn into violent reactions," argues João Feijó.

The researcher, Fernando Cardoso, believes that bad governance and underdevelopment are factors favorable to resentment against power and can feed the recruitment, to jihadism, of young people without better life expectations.

For Cardoso, there are some theses that look at the war in Cabo Delgado as originated by accumulated resentments, by the frustration of populations that see the land and mineral resources being exploited without evident benefits, by lack of job opportunities for young people entering active life, and by a popular revolt against the authorities' abuses.

Nevertheless, the issue of asymmetries and poverty is also pointed out by Dércio Alfazema as being one of the causes of the conflict in Northern Mozambique, especially considering the young people who have challenges in terms of employment.

"We don't talk much about the issue of asymmetries, but this problem should be taken very seriously, as should the problem of inclusion," argues the political analyst.

For his part, Borges Namire says that the Mozambican state receives money from different countries and companies to invest, for example, in the training of young people, and questions where this money is.

"You have to create technical training opportunities for people to be able to have jobs that allow them to make money; that training happens there," he wonders.