The spokesperson of the Government of Rwanda, Yolande Makolo, said Rwanda has carried the burden of fighting terrorists in Mozambique largely on its own and stressed the need for a stable and sustainable funding mechanism to support the mission.
Her remarks come days after Rwanda indicated it could withdraw its troops from Mozambique if a reliable funding system for the counterterrorism operations is not established.
On March 27, the French newspaper Le Monde reported that the European Union planned to halt financial support for Rwanda’s military mission in Mozambique.
On April 1, The Wall Street Journal reported that Rwanda had reacted to U.S. sanctions by signaling a possible halt to its military operations in Mozambique.
Responding to these reports, Makolo said Rwanda is not seeking additional funding from the EU Peace Facility, explaining that the responsibility lies with the Mozambican government and its partners with major investments in Cabo Delgado.
She noted that Rwanda had long supported Mozambique in fighting insurgents and protecting civilians in Cabo Delgado, helping to restore security and enable economic activity to resume.
Currently, Rwanda has about 6,300 soldiers and police officers deployed in Mozambique, an increase from the initial 2,000 troops sent in 2021.
The reinforcement followed the withdrawal of troops from the Southern African Development Community mission in 2024, leaving Rwanda to help fill the security gap in the region.
