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Mozambique has successfully secured the necessary funding to maintain the deployment of Rwandan troops in its insurgency-hit, gas-rich northern province of Cabo Delgado.
Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe announced the breakthrough on Tuesday, noting that Rwanda will now deal exclusively with the Mozambican government regarding financial arrangements.
In 2021, Rwanda security forces intervened in Cabo Delgado on the invitation of the Government of Mozambique. Over the past five (5) years, the mission was quite successful: peace and stability were restored, families returned home, children went back to school, businesses… https://t.co/oERLpBLKad
— Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe (@onduhungirehe) May 19, 2026
The confirmation resolves a critical defence dispute, as Rwanda had previously warned it might withdraw its forces if adequate financial backing could not be guaranteed.
The security mission was originally funded in part by the European Union, but Nduhungirehe indicated that the EU had become increasingly reluctant to continue its financial support.
Following reports that the EU did not plan to renew its assistance, Mozambique stepped in to guarantee the financing required to keep the external security forces on the ground.
While Nduhungirehe confirmed that the funds are locked in for both current and future operations, he did not disclose the exact monetary amount or the specific duration of the extension. At the time of reporting, the Mozambican government had not responded to requests for comment.
Rwandan forces initially arrived in northern Mozambique in 2021 following an official request from local authorities to help neutralise an Islamic State-linked insurgency that had overrun the region.
The presence of the Rwandan military successfully stabilised key areas, weakening the rebel factions enough to allow French energy giant TotalEnergies to relaunch its massive $20 billion liquefied natural gas project in the far north earlier this year.
However, despite these major economic and military strides, conflict analysts warn that sporadic insurgent attacks persist in the province.
