President Mokgweetsi Masisi may be facing his biggest test of diplomatic etiquette in resolving a security crisis obtaining in Mozambique.
A confidential Southern African Development Community (SADC) report marked “Restricted” suggests the president will be tested on cessation of hostilities without bloodshed.
The confidential report will also hand President Masisi the biggest test of his leadership as the Chairperson of the Troika Organ on Politics, Defence and Security which is expected to rally member states to adopt the recommendations of the report.
Masisi is also expected to rally other members of the Troika among them, the incoming Chairperson South African President Cyril Rampahosa and outgoing Chair Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa to adopt the recommendations of the report. The three leaders together with Mozambique President Nyusi were to decide whether to adopt the recommendations of the report or not.
Currently the security situation in Mozambique is the most closely watched situation in the region or even in its history. Mapping the way forward in putting an end to the security crisis in Mozambique would also play an important role in Masisi’s campaign in which he wants former Permanent Secretary to the President Elias Magosi to become executive secretary of the regional bloc.
The mission was deployed to Mozambique following a major insurgent attack on March 24 when the jihadists overran the northern port town of Palma. The leaders of the double troika – comprising the troikas of SADC and its security organ – instructed the assessment mission to report back to it during the postponed summit.
The mission was tasked to conduct the assessment by a SADC double troika summit held in Maputo on April 8.
According to the confidential report titled ‘SADC-Report Assessment of The Security Situation in Cabo Delgado and Required Regional Support’ signed by the Chairperson of the Technical Assessment Mission chairperson and SADC Standby Force Chief of Staff Brigadier Michael Mukokomani states that following the findings obtained through Technical Assessment team and the intelligence shared by the Armed Forces for the Defence of Mozambique (FADM) through security situation and intelligence briefs, the Technical Assessment Team has identified courses of actions for the SADC region in support of the Republic of Mozambique and areas of support to strengthen FADM capability to combat terrorists activities in the province of Cabo Delgado and prevent further spill over the rest of the country and the region at large.
The report which was to be submitted to the regional heads of states during the rescheduled special SADC Summit says the Technical Assessment Team observed that AFDM requires immediate support in the fields of air, maritime and ground operational capabilities. The special summit which was to be held from 28 to 29 April was postponed after Masisi went into quarantine while Ramaphosa appeared before the ongoing Zondo Commission in his country.
The report recommends that more than 3000 personnel be deployed which will include special forces and ground forces. In provision of such support to the FADM and Republic of Mozambique efforts to combat terrorism, the team considered three broad course of action as follows;
-Course of action 1 would require deployment of SADC Forces in which SADC will deploy forces to support FADM to neutralise the terrorists in the area of operation.
-Course of action 2: Training and military support in which SADC will provide training and logistical support to FADM.
-Course of action 3: Combination of Course of Action 1 and Course of Action 2. Deployment of forces and providing logistical support and training.
“Having considered the three courses of action the assessment team recommends to the SADC Region to adopt Courses of Action 3 which is the combination of deploying minimal forces that will provide critical assets for the mission whilst providing logistical support and training to Mozambique,” states the report.
The report states that the mission in support of Mozambique would be deployed to achieve among others; neutralise the terrorism threat in order to create a secure environment, to support Mozambique to restore law and order in affected areas of Cabo Delgado province.
The report says the host nation, Mozambique, submitted its logistics requirements in order to capacitate the forces to be able to counter-terrorist activities.
Regarding proposed budget, the mission states that any foreseen deployment in support of FADM will require budget resources support adding that funding of the regional support will be sourced from the SADC Contingency Fund, member states funds and also mobilise continental and international partners and stakeholders.
Among the findings of the Mission is that the terrorists are alleged to be financed through money transfer from sympathisers through electronic means of payment such as M-Pesa, M-keshe, Emola and others.
“Funders are said to be mainly individuals and private organisations from South Africa, Tanzania, DRC, Uganda, Burundi and other parts of the world. They also get funding from income from organized crime syndicates exploiting natural resources such as timber, precious stones, poaching and drug trafficking,” the report states.
