Africa Monitor Intelligence

Mozambique: New French Players in Private Security Business

The use of private military companies by the State (Frontier Group, Wagner, DAG, Paramount) to act in support of the Defense and Security Forces in the province targeted by attacks of Islamic-inspired armed groups set a precedent that aroused the interest of several “players” in the sector. The French presence in this sector was expected, given the key position of Total, leader of Area 1 in the natural gas development projects in Palma.
In Cabo Delgado, the scope for insurgent groups in the areas targeted by attacks is widened, and some remain under their control. In the Palma region, the situation is fluid, with occasional incursions by insurgents and the military. The FDS withdrew from the town, despite the fact that the protection force of the Afungi security perimeter (LNG “site”) remained in place with 1,000 to 1,500 men.
The instability in Cabo Delgado and the inefficiency of the FDS forced the group's own CEO, PATRICK POUYANNÉ, to travel to Mozambique several times in 2020 and 2021. READ MORE