Governance challenges in Cabo Delgado: spinning wheels in the mud

The research paper analyzes the withdrawal of the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) from Cabo Delgado on 15 July 2024, arguing that the exit was driven by financial constraints and poor coordination rather than security improvements. It highlights that the insurgency, involving groups like Ahlu Sunnah Waljama’a and linked to ISIS, is fueled by a complex mix of religious extremism, poverty, unemployment, and state violence. The author contends that the withdrawal may have created a security void, as attacks have increased in 2024, and argues that military intervention alone is insufficient without addressing the root governance failures and economic inequalities in Mozambique.

• The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) concluded its operations in Cabo Delgado on 15 July 2024, following a withdrawal process characterized by financial shortages and poor coordination between SADC and the Mozambican government.
• The insurgency in Cabo Delgado is driven by diverse factors beyond religious extremism, including poverty, unemployment, race-based identity issues, the lure of financial gains, and revenge for violence perpetrated by the state.
• The withdrawal of SAMIM may have created a security vacuum, as the number of attacks in 2024 has already exceeded the total for the previous year, and displacement has increased in areas such as Chiure, Mecufi, and Ancuabe since December 2023.
• SAMIM's operational effectiveness was severely hindered by an overreliance on South Africa's declining defence spending and a lack of trust between the Filipe Nyusi Administration and SADC, which obstructed joint operations and information sharing.
• ISIS has sought to manipulate the local conflict in Cabo Delgado to gain control over illegal trade routes involving minerals and gas, raising regional security concerns for SADC.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2024). Governance challenges in Cabo Delgado: spinning wheels in the mud. https://saiia.org.za/research/governance-challenges-in-cabo-delgado-spinning-wheels-in-the-mud/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Governance challenges in Cabo Delgado: spinning wheels in the mud. 2024. https://saiia.org.za/research/governance-challenges-in-cabo-delgado-spinning-wheels-in-the-mud/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Governance challenges in Cabo Delgado: spinning wheels in the mud |date=24 October 2024 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/governance-challenges-in-cabo-delgado-spinning-wheels-in-the-mud/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2024governance, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Governance challenges in Cabo Delgado: spinning wheels in the mud}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2024}, month = oct, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/governance-challenges-in-cabo-delgado-spinning-wheels-in-the-mud/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }