The insecurity in Cabo Delgado province, caused by recurrent terrorist attacks, compromises the confidence of international investors and the socio-economic development of Mozambique, according to the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD).

According to the CDD, despite recent positive signals from oil giants such as TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil to move forward with their liquefied natural gas exploration projects, the successive postponements to the Final Investment Decisions have a negative impact on the Mozambican economy, in the sense that expectations of, for example, settling debts through royalties are mortgaged.

And because this is motivated to a greater extent by the upsurge in terrorist attacks in the province, companies are forced to make much greater investments in security to protect their facilities.

"These costs are recoverable under the production sharing contract with the Mozambican government, but the delay in exploration and the additional costs of halting activities could impact the profitability of the project in the medium and long term," writes CDD.

In this sense, in which development expectations are being postponed, the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) advocates inclusive solutions to revive the already fragile economy, looking at these investments by oil companies.

"The road to stability in Cabo Delgado requires a long-term strategy that combines security, economic development and respect for human rights," he said.

The search for stability in Cabo Delgado must be a priority for the Mozambican government, the companies involved and the international community, so that the province and the country as a whole can achieve a prosperous and secure future, he concludes.