GAS IN MOZAMBIQUE A WINDFALL FOR THE INDUSTRY, A CURSE FOR THE COUNTRY

The report examines the impact of gas exploration in Mozambique, specifically in Cabo Delgado province. It alleges that French government support for energy companies like Total and financial institutions has exacerbated a cycle of corruption and violence. The document highlights a 2013 naval contract scandal that led to a financial crisis and links the militarization of gas infrastructure to the displacement of local communities and human rights abuses. Furthermore, it warns that the projected gas emissions from these projects represent a 'climate bomb' that contradicts France's stated climate goals.

• Mozambique possesses the 9th largest gas reserve in the world, with approximately 5 trillion cubic meters discovered between 2010 and 2013, attracting a projected minimum investment of 60 billion USD.
• A 2013 contract between the Mozambican government and the French company Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie (CMN) for a tuna fishing fleet was used to illegally finance a defence programme, leading to a massive debt and a 2016 financial crisis.
• The French government has actively supported its energy and financial sectors in Mozambique through diplomatic missions, an export guarantee of over half a billion euros, and the involvement of banks such as Crédit Agricole and Société Générale.
• Since October 2017, insurgent attacks in Cabo Delgado have killed at least 1,100 people and displaced over 100,000, with the government prioritizing the militarized protection of gas infrastructure over the safety of local communities.
• Private security and military contractors from Russia, the US, South Africa, and France are operating in Cabo Delgado; specifically, South African mercenaries using French-licensed helicopter gunships wounded six children in May 2020.
• The three gas projects under development could release greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to seven times France's annual emissions and 49 times Mozambique's current annual emissions.

APA

Marchand, C. (2020). GAS IN MOZAMBIQUE A WINDFALL FOR THE INDUSTRY, A CURSE FOR THE COUNTRY. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Gas-in-Mozambique_Friends-of-the-Earth_Executive-Summary_English.pdf

Chicago

Marchand, Cécile. GAS IN MOZAMBIQUE A WINDFALL FOR THE INDUSTRY, A CURSE FOR THE COUNTRY. Friends of the Earth International, 2020. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Gas-in-Mozambique_Friends-of-the-Earth_Executive-Summary_English.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Marchand |first1=Cécile |title=GAS IN MOZAMBIQUE A WINDFALL FOR THE INDUSTRY, A CURSE FOR THE COUNTRY |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=June 2020 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Gas-in-Mozambique_Friends-of-the-Earth_Executive-Summary_English.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{marchand2020gas, author = {Marchand, Cécile}, title = {{GAS IN MOZAMBIQUE A WINDFALL FOR THE INDUSTRY, A CURSE FOR THE COUNTRY}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2020}, month = jun, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Gas-in-Mozambique_Friends-of-the-Earth_Executive-Summary_English.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }