The TotalEnergies group relaunched its gas project in northern Mozambique this Thursday, after five years of interruption following a jihadist attack in 2021, which left around 800 dead.
Called Mozambique LNG, the project is located in the province of Cabo Delgado, a region still marked by recurring jihadist violence.
The oil and gas group has also requested from the Maputo authorities a ten-year extension of its concession, more than double the duration of the accumulated delay. Estimated at $20 billion, the project involves the exploitation of gas fields located in deep waters, nearly 2,000 meters below the ocean surface. The extracted gas will then be transported by an underwater gas pipeline to a large onshore industrial complex, where it will be liquefied before being exported.
Environmental NGOs, however, denounce a project they describe as a "climate bomb", accusing it of causing serious human rights violations and being linked to alleged crimes against civilians.
Last December, the United Kingdom canceled $1.15 billion in funding initially promised to the French group, deeming the investment too risky due to the persistent security threat. The Netherlands is also considering withdrawing from the project.
For its part, the Mozambican government welcomed the resumption of the project in a press release, affirming that it was "capable of overcoming challenges and restoring the confidence of national and foreign investors".
