Japan pledges to help Mozambique fight “terrorism

Japanese Prime Minister pledges to help Mozambique against jihadist insurgency and promises financial assistance to fight terrorism. Japan, the world's largest importer of liquefied natural gas, is looking to deepen its relationship with Maputo, particularly in the energy sector.

Share:

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged Thursday to help Mozambique counter the jihadist insurgency in the north of the country. Mozambique’s northernmost gas-rich province of Cabo Delgado is battling an insurgency led by militants linked to the Islamic State group.

“Japan will help financially in the fight against terrorism,” Kishida said at a press conference in the capital Maputo, the last stop on his Africa tour. “Security is paramount to the operations of Japanese companies in the north,” he added.

Mozambique has placed high hopes on large natural gas deposits – the largest discovered south of the Sahara – found in the Muslim-majority northern province in 2010. If all the fields are exploited, Mozambique could become one of the world’s ten largest gas exporting countries, according to estimates. But the insurgency of the past five years, which has killed more than 4,600 people, has cast doubt on the project.

Japanese conglomerate Mitsui has a 20% stake in a $20 billion (€18 billion) gas project led by French giant TotalEnergies, which has been suspended since 2021 following a jihadist attack on the nearby coastal town of Palma. Last week, Mozambique’s president, Filipe Nyusi, declared that the conditions were right to resume work, but TotalEnergies has not yet committed to restarting the project.

Mozambique’s Foreign Minister Veronica Macamo announced that Japan would provide the African nation with air navigation equipment worth about $22.5 million (20.4 million euros) and a surveillance vessel worth $830,000 (750,000 euros).

Japan is the world’s largest importer of liquefied natural gas(LNG), a title it normally shares with China. Fumio Kishida said Tokyo intends to deepen its relationship with Maputo “especially in the energy sector. He also visited Ghana, Egypt and Kenya.

Afghanistan and Turkmenistan reaffirmed their commitment to deepening their bilateral partnership during a meeting between officials from both countries, with a particular focus on major infrastructure projects and energy cooperation.
The European Union lowers the price cap on Russian crude oil and extends sanctions to vessels and entities involved in circumvention, as coordination with the United States remains pending.
Brazil adopts new rules allowing immediate commercial measures to counter the U.S. decision to impose an exceptional 50% customs tariff on all Brazilian exports, threatening stability in bilateral trade valued at billions of dollars.
Several international agencies have echoed warnings by Teresa Ribera, Vice-President of the European Commission, about commercial risks related to Chinese competition, emphasizing the EU's refusal to engage in a price war.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development lends €400 million to JSC Energocom to diversify Moldova's gas and electricity supply, historically dependent on Russian imports via Ukraine.
BRICS adopt a joint financial framework aimed at supporting emerging economies while criticizing European carbon border tax mechanisms, deemed discriminatory and risky for their strategic trade relations.
The European Commission is launching an alliance with member states and industrial players to secure the supply of critical chemicals, amid growing competition from the United States and China.
Trade between Russia and Saudi Arabia grew by over 60% in 2024 to surpass USD 3.8 billion, according to Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov, who outlined new avenues for industrial cooperation.
Meeting in Rio, BRICS nations urge global energy market stability, openly condemning Western sanctions and tariff mechanisms in a tense economic and geopolitical context.
Despite strong ties, Iran's dependence on oil revenues limits its ability to secure substantial strategic support from Russia and China amid current international and regional crises, according to several experts.
Egypt’s Electricity Minister engages in new talks with Envision Group, Windey, LONGi, China Energy, PowerChina, and ToNGWEI to boost local industry and attract investments in renewable energy.
The potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz places Gulf producers under intense pressure, highlighting their diplomatic and logistical limitations as a blockage threatens 20 million daily barrels of hydrocarbons destined for global markets.
Budapest and Bratislava jointly reject the European Commission's proposal to ban Russian energy supplies, highlighting significant economic risks and a direct threat to their energy security, days ahead of a key meeting.
Libya officially contests Greece's allocation of offshore oil permits, exacerbating regional tensions over disputed maritime areas south of Crete, rich in hydrocarbons and contested by several Mediterranean states.
Hungary, supported by Slovakia, strongly expresses opposition to the European Commission's plan to phase out imports of Russian energy resources, citing major economic and energy impacts for Central Europe.
Israeli military strikes on Iran's Natanz nuclear site destroyed critical electrical infrastructure but did not reach strategic underground facilities, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The French president travels to Nuuk on 15 June to support Greenlandic sovereignty, review energy projects and respond to recent US pressure, according to the Élysée.
Kazakhstan has selected Rosatom and China National Nuclear Corporation to build two nuclear power plants totaling 2.4 GW, a decision following a favorable referendum and coinciding with Xi Jinping’s upcoming strategic visit.
Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear sites disrupt US-Iranian talks on the nuclear deal. Tehran now considers canceling the upcoming negotiation round in Oman, heightening regional economic concerns.
Facing alarming breaches of uranium enrichment thresholds by Iran and explicit existential threats, Israel launches targeted military strikes against Iranian nuclear infrastructure, escalating regional tensions dramatically.