The government of Nigeria has offered to assist Mozambique in its fight against Islamist insurgents in the gas-rich northern province of Cabo Delgado.
The Federal government through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, visited Mozambique over the weekend and met Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosário.
Mr Onyeama said Nigeria was ready to share its experience of fighting Islamist militants and provide support to Mozambique.
Mr Onyeama’s visit was part of a diplomatic tour to southern Africa countries to mobilize support for Nigeria’s bid to chair the peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU).
More than 2,000 people have been killed and more than 500,000 others displaced in the violence, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Over the past three years, a local Islamist insurgency in the province of Cabo Delgado has grown in strength and viciousness, developing ties with international terrorist groups and threatening one of the world’s largest natural gas projects. The insurgency is turning Cabo Delgado into a killing field while many Americans are increasingly wary of overseas counter terrorism commitments.
