Populations Segregated from the Economic–Extractivist Ecosystem
By Tiago J.B. Paqueliua
Introduction
The political, economic and security landscape of Cabo Delgado is once again set ablaze at the very moment TotalEnergies—embroiled in legal controversies in France over greenwashing practices and alleged deceitful commercial behaviour—attempts its re-entry into the liquefied natural gas megaproject in Afungi. The company’s recent conviction in French courts, alongside its renewed ambition in Mozambique, forms the perfect scenario to reassess what many describe as a new cycle of French extractivist colonialism in Africa—disguised under narratives of sustainability, humanitarian diplomacy and military cooperation.
At the epicentre of this geopolitical script lie segregated and silenced Mozambican communities, a Mozambican state caught in a web of dependencies, and a multinational corporation well-versed in the art of surviving in fragile environments: strategic military alliances, narrative-building, and the careful management of governmental expectations.
1. Between Paris and Afungi: The Green Hypocrisy of a Fossil Power
While France seeks to polish its global image with an ecological sheen, French courts have sentenced TotalEnergies for practices that distort its environmental responsibility and mislead consumers. Across francophone Sahel and the islands of the Indian Ocean—particularly Madagascar—France and its energy giant are viewed as predatory entities, agents of an energy-driven colonialism that continues to redefine, on its own terms, fragile sovereignties.
In Mozambique, the recent episode in which TotalEnergies wrongly publicised the lifting of the force majeure clause—an act that should be the prerogative of the Mozambican state—once again exposed the asymmetry of power. Even so, President Daniel Francisco Chapo rushed not only to lament the company’s unilateral gesture but also to validate the possibility of negotiating a 10-year extension of the megaproject, in light of the alleged 4.5-billion-dollar losses.
The inevitable question arises: at what point did Mozambique cease to be a sovereign state and become a strategic piece in TotalEnergies’ financial balancing act?
2. Reopening Afungi: Reviving Fears, Consolidating Dependencies
The announcement of the project’s reopening rekindled tensions and suspicions in a region still traumatised by a conflict shaped both by insurgent violence and allegations of abuses attributed to the Defence and Security Forces (FDS). Paradoxically, while the EU, France and the US proclaim support for counter-terrorism efforts, it is the Rwandan troops—quietly equipped by European allies—who stand as the de facto guardians of corporate interests, far above the security of local populations.
The chronically underfunded Mozambican FDS find themselves virtually sidelined from the security design of the territory. Meanwhile, Brussels issues humanitarian aid statements, including the modest 800 thousand euros announced for victims of terrorism—a figure that, compared with the economic interests at stake, sounds like diplomatic pocket change.
At the same time, insurgents move freely through Macomia, Mocímboa da Praia and Palma, while state and allied military forces adopt an enigmatic posture: avoiding confrontation, allegedly to prevent civilian casualties. Yet for displaced and traumatised communities, this narrative increasingly resembles a smokescreen for invisible priorities.
3. The Geostrategic Chessboard: Rwanda as an Extension of France?
The growing circulation of narratives regarding French ambitions to establish a military base in Mozambique fuels historical distrusts and resentments that date back to European colonialism. With its influence waning in the Sahel and recent losses of prestige in Madagascar, panafricanist critics argue that Paris is now attempting to secure a new corridor of hegemony through Mozambique.
Rwanda, whose military presence in Cabo Delgado surpasses the logistical capacity and efficiency of the FDS themselves, emerges as an instrumental satellite in a broader strategy—an outsourced form of neocolonialism. In this equation, the Mozambican state hesitates between the pragmatic need for external military support and the risk of ceding excessive space to actors operating with their own agendas.
4. Moza24h, Critical Press and the Attempt at Diplomatic Seduction
Against this tense backdrop emerges an episode worthy of a case study in strategic communication and subtle attempts at media co-optation: the French Embassy in Maputo summons investigative outlet Moza24h for a visit to the French patrol vessel POM Auguste Techer, anchored in Nacala. The message—friendly and almost paternal—invites one of the most incisive critics of French action in Cabo Delgado to admire the wonders of “bilateral maritime cooperation”.
But if cooperation is truly bilateral, why this sudden enthusiasm to court a newspaper whose analyses have exposed France’s and TotalEnergies’ contradictions? Is Paris wagering on a charm offensive to soften criticism? Or is this simply the traditional diplomatic tactic of easing tensions through symbolic proximity?
Regardless of the intention, the episode reveals the fragility of the French narrative: whoever tries too hard to convince has already begun, inadvertently, to admit they have not convinced.
Epilogue: Between Colonies, Colossi and Rhetorical Collage
Observing the scene, one can only imagine a tragicomic theatre in which Mozambique occupies the stage, TotalEnergies holds the script, Rwanda controls the lights, and France sells tickets at the door—all while proclaiming from the audience that the performance is “cooperative” and “sustainable”.
The people of Cabo Delgado, meanwhile, remain behind the curtain, invisible, hearing only the distant echo of promises that never reach their villages. And each time a diplomatic communiqué speaks of “strategic partnerships” or “community resilience”, the irony intensifies—greener than the greenwashing that sustains it.
In the end, perhaps the saying is true: France lost the Sahel, lost Madagascar… and now, in notable desperation, is trying to paste Mozambique into its album of former hegemonies.
And Mozambique? Caught between official smiles, foreign troops and multimillion-dollar megaprojects, it hangs in the thin balance between cooperation and domination. But let us not say it too loudly—lest a patrol ship appear with a friendly invitation to “exchange ideas”.
