South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is attending an Extraordinary Double Troika Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in the Mozambican capital Maputo where regional security will be high on the agenda, his office said on Thursday.
He was accompanied by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor, Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and State Security Minister Ayanda Dlodlo for the second meeting of the troika in as many months.
Mozambique is the current chair of the SADC, with Malawi as its incoming chair and Tanzania as the outgoing head of the 16-member regional grouping.
“The SADC Extraordinary Double Troika will discuss insecurity and violence in the region, including insecurity in the Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique,” the presidency said.
The troubled northern Mozambican province has been under attack by Islamic insurgents since October, with dozens killed and thousands others displaced in the past two months alone.
Observers believe the insurgency has been fuelled by the discovery of gas in the offshore area of the province.
Several energy companies have built infrastructure to harness the gas, including French and American firms, who have invested at least US$20 billion of dollars into the operations.
The recent violence two months ago has put a stop to any operations until the security measures have been assured, according to the observers of the upheaval.
NM/jn/APA