Security provision and governance in fragile resource-rich settings: Lessons from Cabo Delgado, Mozambique

This report by Good Governance Africa examines the hybrid security environment in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, where large-scale extractive projects for liquid natural gas, rubies, and graphite coexist with a violent insurgency. It analyzes the roles and accountability of various security providers—including national forces, Rwandan troops, community militias, and private security companies—and the resulting impacts on local populations.

• Cabo Delgado is characterized by a hybrid security environment where formal state forces, auxiliary groups, and private actors operate with uneven accountability. This environment is driven by the interdependence of private capital in the extractive sector (LNG, rubies, and graphite) and the need for security in a fragile region.
• The insurgency led by Al-Sunnah Wa Jama’ah (ASWJ), also known as Islamic State Mozambique (ISM), has evolved from radicalized youth groups in 2010 to a consolidated armed insurgency. By late 2022, the group had extended operations into 16 of Cabo Delgado’s 17 districts, utilizing small mobile units and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
• Civilian populations have suffered severe harm, with nearly 2,500 civilians killed since 2018. While ASWJ consistently targets civilians, state forces are also implicated; FADM violence targeting civilians ranged from 8% to 21% annually since 2018, and PRM violence reached up to 50% in some years.
• Displacement in Cabo Delgado is a protracted crisis, with approximately 580,000 people displaced by mid-2024, predominantly women and children. The province hosts around 70% of Mozambique’s total internally displaced population.
• The Mozambican Republican Police (PRM) and Mozambique Defense Armed Forces (FADM) face significant challenges, including low public trust and allegations of serious human rights abuses. Afrobarometer data shows a precipitous drop in trust for the PRM between 2018 and 2023, with those trusting them 'Not at all or Just a Little' rising by 18%.
• The Força Locale (FL) are community-based self-defence groups incorporated into the state's counterinsurgency architecture. While they provide critical local intelligence, they operate in a legal grey zone and lack formal training in human rights, risking the normalization of militarized governance.
• Rwandan Security Forces (RSF), deployed since July 2021 under a bilateral agreement, are regarded as the best-trained and most professional force in the region. They have high levels of community trust and a significantly better record on civilian protection compared to national forces.
• Private Security Companies (PSCs) are essential for the mining sector but face governance risks. While large multinationals often adhere to international standards like ICoCA and ISO 18788, smaller domestic firms may lack these incentives, leading to labor violations and poor oversight.
• Extractive projects in the region have been linked to human rights risks and social unrest. Examples include alleged sexual violence and inhumane detention by security forces at the Afungi Peninsula LNG project, and a £5.8 million settlement by Gemfields following allegations of abuses at the Montepuez Ruby Mining project.

APA

Buchanan-Clarke, S., & Van Der Merwe, E. (n.d.). Security provision and governance in fragile resource-rich settings: Lessons from Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. Good Governance Africa. https://digitalmallblobstorage.blob.core.windows.net/wp-content/2026/02/GGA-SATrust-Mozambique-Report.pdf

Chicago

Buchanan-Clarke, Stephen, and Erika Van Der Merwe. Security provision and governance in fragile resource-rich settings: Lessons from Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. Good Governance Africa, n.d. https://digitalmallblobstorage.blob.core.windows.net/wp-content/2026/02/GGA-SATrust-Mozambique-Report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Buchanan-Clarke |first1=Stephen |last2=Van Der Merwe |first2=Erika |title=Security provision and governance in fragile resource-rich settings: Lessons from Cabo Delgado, Mozambique |publisher=Good Governance Africa |url=https://digitalmallblobstorage.blob.core.windows.net/wp-content/2026/02/GGA-SATrust-Mozambique-Report.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{buchananclarkendsecurity, author = {Buchanan-Clarke, Stephen and Van Der Merwe, Erika}, title = {{Security provision and governance in fragile resource-rich settings: Lessons from Cabo Delgado, Mozambique}}, institution = {Good Governance Africa}, url = {https://digitalmallblobstorage.blob.core.windows.net/wp-content/2026/02/GGA-SATrust-Mozambique-Report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }