TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné said Monday that the oil company intends to resume the natural gas project in Cabo Delgado later this year.

"We are ready," the official assured, in Maputo, after a meeting with the President of the Republic, Filipe Nyusi.

The natural gas liquefaction project in the Rovuma Basin - the largest private investment in Africa - was suspended in March 2021 due to the terrorist attacks.

"I'm optimistic," Pouyanné said of the resumption of work, although without commitments.

The CEO of TotalEnergies said that when he returns to Mozambique he wants to be able to go "to Palma, Mocímboa da Praia and Mueda: when he sees that life is back to normal, with state services and population, then the project can restart," he said.

On Monday, Pouyanné signed an agreement with the Mozambican authorities to train 2,500 young people from Cabo Delgado, with the aim of creating job opportunities arising from the investments underway.

The Mozambican president said that the oil company "didn't leave because it wanted to.

Likewise, the population "left because they were attacked, but they will return" as normalcy is resumed.