The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has extended the mandate of its force mission in Mozambique to help the country fend off an armed insurgency, a communique from the regional bloc’s extraordinary summit said on Wednesday.
SADC nations and Rwanda in July 2021 deployed over 3,000 troops to help Mozambique respond to an armed uprising in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.
The summit, which took place in the Malawian capital Lilongwe, reviewed progress made by the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM).
The regional bloc said the security situation in Cabo Delgado has greatly improved since the deployment of SAMIM.
“Summit noted the good progress made since the deployment of the SADC Mission in Mozambique and extended its mandate,” the communique said.
The mission was initially deployed for three months but its mandate was extended in October 2021.
The armed insurgency in Cabo Delgado has killed more than 3,500 people and displaced over 820,000 others since October 2017.
JN/APA