Cabo Delgado: The New Strategic, Political „Playground” in East Africa?

Abstract

With the Russian-Ukrainian war breaking out, alternative energy sources and deposits to replace Russian energy imports are becoming increasingly important for Europe. One of the potential solutions could be Africa. One possibility is the discovery of natural gas reserves in the northern Mozambique province of Cabo Delgado. However, the most serious problem is the serious security instability that has prevailed since 2017, caused by a local jihadist organisation under the umbrella of the Islamic State. The Mozambican government has been unable to contain the crisis, so foreign entities have stepped in and achieved relative stability, allowing the necessary facilities for gas extraction to be built. The study takes stock and ranks the foreign powers present, their interests and their results.