Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Mozambique on Thursday, offering Moscow's assistance in combating the jihadist insurgency that has destabilised the country's northern Cabo Delgado province since 2017. Meeting with President Daniel Chapo and Foreign Minister Maria Dos Santos Lucas in the capital Maputo, Lavrov pledged that "Russia is ready to meet the needs of its Mozambican friends to counter the terrorist threat in the north of the country."

Cabo Delgado, a remote coastal province bordering Tanzania in Mozambique's far north, has been at the centre of an Islamic State-linked insurgency for nearly a decade. Armed groups have carried out attacks on civilians and security forces — including beheadings — displacing hundreds of thousands of people. The province is also home to significant offshore natural gas reserves that have drawn major global energy companies, making its stability a matter of considerable international economic interest.

Lavrov drew on the deep historical ties between Russia and Mozambique to frame the offer, noting that the AK-47 Kalashnikov rifle depicted on the Mozambican national flag is itself a symbol of Soviet military support during the country's independence struggle in the 1970s. "President Chapo told me that Mozambicans remember very well the assistance the Soviet Union provided during the fight for independence, in terms of training and weapons," Lavrov said.

Mozambique already has international security assistance in place: Rwandan forces have been deployed to Cabo Delgado since 2021, operating alongside the Mozambican army in a mission backed by tens of millions of euros from the European Union. Russia's offer signals a potential expansion of external actors involved in the conflict, reflecting Moscow's broader push to deepen its security footprint across Africa. Lavrov's current tour also includes stops in Ethiopia and Niger — countries where Russia has been increasing its influence.

Beyond security matters, Lavrov indicated that economic cooperation was also high on the agenda, and confirmed that Mozambique will attend the next Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled for October in Moscow. The visit underscores how Cabo Delgado's combination of instability and vast energy resources continues to attract competing international attention.