Patrick Pouyanné guarantees that the company is only waiting for safety conditions to be restored before resuming activities in Mozambique

The president of the Board of Directors of the French multinational Total assured the Mozambican president that it will resume activities in Cabo Delgado province as soon as safety conditions are restored.

"In fact, we are working. There was this incident in Palma, Cabo Delgado province, which is a security issue. But, I want to assure you that we had to take security measures and our commitment remains," said Patrick Pouyanné, speaking to Mozambican journalists who followed the meeting between him and President Filipe Nyusi on Monday, 17, in Paris.

"We will be back and we have full confidence in the Government of Mozambique that is working and will manage to restore security and we will be there," stressed Pouyanné, who justified the suspension of activities and the withdrawal of his staff with insecurity, saying that "we are for security, especially for people."

On the occasion, and before questions from journalists, the head of Total denied information circulating that the company was thinking of abandoning the $20 billion natural gas exploration project in Cabo Delgado.

"Total remains committed to its project in Mozambique. Natural gas is in great demand in the world for the planet, it is important energy, it is a priority, so we remain committed," said Patrick Pouyanné.

President Filipe Nyusi has not made a statement, but the issue is expected to be a central theme of the conversation tonight between him and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.

The French press, citing sources in the Elysée Palace, says that Macron is expected to propose to the Mozambican president that French troops be sent to the field to ensure the safety of the multi-million dollar investment.

Suspension of activities

A month after the March 24 attack on the town of Palma, Total confirmed on April 26 that it had withdrawn all its personnel from the north of Cabo Delgado province "for force majeure".

"Considering the evolution of the security situation in the north of Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique, Total confirms the withdrawal of all personnel of the Mozambique LNG project, from the Afungi site," the energy giant says in a statement in which it considers that "this situation leads Total, as operator of the Mozambique LNG project, to declare force majeure."

The company reiterated, however, "its solidarity with the Government and people of Mozambique and hopes that the actions taken by the Government of Mozambique and its regional and international partners will allow the re-establishment of security and stability in the province of Cabo Delgado in a sustained manner.