The Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) officially announced the withdrawal of its forces from Cabo Delgado on Thursday, marking the conclusion of its peacekeeping mission in the region. The closing ceremony, held in Pemba, the provincial capital, was led by Mozambique’s Defence Minister Cristovao Chume and SAMIM Head of Mission Mpho Molomo.
In his address, Minister Chume lauded the significant contribution of SAMIM troops in combatting terrorism within the country. “The operationalisation of the SAMIM force has proved to be an enormous complement to the no-holds-barred actions carried out by the Mozambican Defence and Security Forces, offering greater robustness to the mission of pursuing and eliminating terrorists on the battlefield,” he stated.
Minister Chume highlighted the success of the mission, noting the destruction of terrorist bases, the resumption of economic activity, and the return of the population to their areas of origin. He also pointed to an improvement in the security situation within Cabo Delgado.
“Progress in the fight against terrorism is a victory for all SADC countries. The SAMIM mission has played a major role in addressing the threat posed by terrorism in the region,” Chume remarked, underscoring the mission as a model of regional solidarity and an African strategy for solving African problems.
However, the Defence Minister cautioned that despite the advances and the withdrawal of SAMIM forces, terrorist movements persist in certain areas of Cabo Delgado, continuing to destabilise the region. Mozambican defence forces and Rwandan troops are presently conducting patrols to maintain security.
During the ceremony, Minister Chume paid tribute to the families of soldiers who lost their lives in the operations in Cabo Delgado. The event also featured a display of weapons seized from terrorists since the commencement of SAMIM’s mission in July 2021, following approval by the Extraordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government as a regional response to Mozambique’s request for support in combating terrorism.
The conclusion of SAMIM’s deployment is seen as a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to restore peace and stability in Cabo Delgado, reflecting the broader commitment of Southern African nations to collaboratively address regional security challenges.
