Rwanda’s senior security commander in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, Major General Vincent Gatama, on 20 December 2025 received Brigadier General Tomás Francisco João Mponha, deputy chief of staff of the Mozambican armed forces (FADM), in Mocímboa da Praia.
The Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) said the two sides held discussions on the prevailing security situation in Cabo Delgado.
“The purpose of the visit was to jointly assess the security situation in Cabo Delgado, to welcome the deputy chief of staff of the FADM following the recent relocation of his headquarters from Pemba to Mocímboa da Praia, and to further strengthen the strong cooperation between the two sides in the fight against terrorism in the province,” the RDF said in a statement.
Nearly five years have passed since Rwanda first deployed troops to Cabo Delgado as part of counterterrorism operations.
The deployment followed a request by the Mozambican government after its forces were overwhelmed by the Ahlu Sunnah wa Jamaah extremist group.
The primary mission of Rwanda’s forces is to combat the group, a task that appears largely successful, as all areas of Cabo Delgado under their control have been liberated.
