Ramaphosa off to Mozambique to tackle terror

Experts say the terrorism engulfing northern Mozambique is a threat not only to the stability of the SA Development Community (SADC) countries, but to the foreign direct investment (FDI) in sub-Saharan Africa.

At the same time, they say, a SADC-led military intervention is inevitable as the terrorists are faceless.

Dr Jakkie Cilliers, senior researcher and head of African Futures & Innovation at the Institute for Security Studies, said SADC could help Mozambique with border and coastal control to police the movement of terrorists the expert believes could be spilling over from neighbouring Tanzania and Kenya.

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Cilliers attributed most of the movement to smuggling of illicit goods such as drugs, ivory, rubies and exotic wood by syndicates.

He was commenting on the eve of the Extraordinary Double Troika Summit of SADC heads of military and security services to be held in Maputo, Mozambique, today.

Condemning the attacks as “atrocious, brutal and indiscriminate”, the Presidency announced President Cyril Ramaphosa would attend the summit, which would deliberate on measures to address the ongoing terrorism.

Terrorist attacks had increased in the northern Cabo Delgado and affected a new gas project. South Africans were among foreign nationals who were trapped in the conflict, with at least one death, which caused Pretoria to send a SA Defence Force aircraft to rescue them.

The Presidency yesterday condemned the “atrocious, brutal and indiscriminate” attacks. Mozambique is the current chair of SADC and the summit had been convened by Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi as chair of SADC’s organ on politics, defence and security cooperation.

Cilliers said FDI could beaffected in the entire sub-Saharan region as investors would be scared to back projects under terrorism conditions.

“This problem affects SADC directly because the countries involved are located within the region. It is important that SADC leads the process and not the international community, such as the United States with its anti-Isis agenda.

International relations expert Professor Siphamandla Zondi said SADC was duty-bound to find a solution to the Mozambique terror due to its commitment to ensure stability in the region.

SADC is empowered to take collective action via individual or a group of member states. But the analyst was concerned by the fact that the system was based on the archaic western principle of national sovereignty.

This means it must obtain Mozambique’s approval to extinguish the threat to the region and the Mozambique Channel as a major global trade route.

“Even if Mozambique agrees to SADC intervention, SADC will be hardpressed to show it can intervene coherently and decisively.”

ericn@citizen.co.za

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