The EU isn’t leaving Mozambique yet as its soldiers are instructed to stay for another 6 months

Troops from the European Union (EU) have received an extended six-month period to remain in the Southern African country of Mozambique.

• The EU has extended its military mission in Mozambique for six more months, allowing troops to remain until the end of the year.
• EUMAM Mozambique focuses on training the Mozambican Defense Armed Forces (FADM), particularly on Quick Reaction Forces, logistics, and self-sufficiency.
• About 1,200 FADM personnel have received specialized EU training since September 2024, with ongoing advanced programs for 300 soldiers.
• The mission includes 83 military personnel from ten EU countries and Serbia, led by Commodore César Correia of Portugal.

The military detachments that have been conducting training operations in Mozambique for several years have been authorized to extend their presence through the conclusion of the current calendar year.

The European Mission Military Assistance Mission in Mozambique (EUMAM Moz), with 40 completed missions so far, has been in the country to help ensure peace in regions synonymous with insurgent attacks.

The EU Council announced the decision to extend the mission’s stay publicly on May 14 and noted that it is related to the necessity of continuing to develop capacity-building programs for the Mozambican Defense Armed Forces (Forrés Armadas de Defesa de Moçambique, or FADM).

The extension is intended to zero in on quick reaction forces (QRFs), their operational cycle, logistics, and maintenance, as well as contributing to the sustainability and self-sufficiency of FADM, as seen on DefenseWeb.

According to a statement from EUMAM Moz, this extension exemplifies the commitment of the European Union and its military assistance mission to supporting Mozambique and its armed forces in their efforts to establish peace within the unstable Cabo Delgado region.

Since the formal transition to the European Union Military Assistance Mission in Mozambique (EUMAM Mozambique) on September 1, 2024, approximately 1,200 personnel from the Mozambican Defense Armed Forces (FADM) have successfully undergone specialized training provided by the European Union.

As presently constituted, 300 Mozambican military personnel are actively participating in advanced training programs focused on commando operations and the regeneration of marine Quick Reaction Forces (QRF).

Command and control (C2), logistics, training QRF instructors, maintenance and transportation, leadership, civil-military cooperation (CIMIC), strategic communication, gender perspective, international humanitarian and human rights law, and institutional advisory services to FADM General Staff make up sections for which training is customized.

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Commodore César Correia of the Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa) currently serves as the Mission Force Commander, exercising oversight over 83 military personnel.

This mission is composed of representatives from ten European Union member states, Belgium, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, and Romania, in addition to Serbia, a non-EU nation.

Despite the military operations conducted by the FADM and allied Rwandan forces, sporadic insurgent activity continues to be documented within the Cabo Delgado region.

Rwanda EU mission in Mozambique

In March, it was reported that European Union funding for Rwandan troops deployed in Mozambique to combat an Islamic State-linked insurgency was set to expire in May, with no plans to extend the support.

“The current assistance measures, adopted in 2022 and 2024, expire in May 2026,” an EU spokesperson said in response to questions.

“The EU has taken note of the U.S. sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force and several commanders and is assessing their implications,” the spokesperson added.

The EU authorized €20 million ($23 million) in assistance for the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) operations in Mozambique's gas-rich Cabo Delgado area, mirroring the sum awarded nearly two years earlier.

According to the European Council, the financing, provided through the European Peace Facility, was designed to pay the cost of Rwandan soldiers' equipment and logistics.