TotalEnergies issued Wednesday the next assertion.

Following the submitting of a criticism towards TotalEnergies for “manslaughter and a failure to help individuals at risk” through the terrorist assaults that occurred in northern Mozambique in March 2021, the Firm, which was not offered entry to this criticism, would love, first, to categorically reject these accusations and, second, to element the emergency help offered by the Mozambique LNG groups and the assets they mobilized to evacuate greater than 2,500 individuals (civilians, personnel, contractors and subcontractors) from the Afungi web site the place the Mozambique undertaking is situated.

The battle within the Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique predates gasoline improvement within the area and is linked to many elements unrelated to Mozambique LNG.

On March 24, 2021, there was a terrorist assault within the Cabo Delgado province towards the city of Palma, near the Mozambique LNG undertaking on the Afungi web site. The Islamic terrorist group referred to as Al-Shabaab subsequently claimed duty for the assault. The terrorist assault towards the civilian inhabitants lasted for a number of days. To one of the best of our data, there exists no official depend of the variety of lifeless and lacking civilians following the Palma assault, however this tragic terrorist assault claimed many lives and prompted a part of the civilian inhabitants to flee the realm.

Emergency assist offered and assets mobilized by Mozambique LNG on the time of the terrorist assaults

Mozambique LNG applied the measures required by the emergency and following safety procedures, together with a pre-established evacuation plan. Given the distinctive nature of the state of affairs, Mozambique LNG evacuated numerous civilians and offered emergency assist, medical care, and human and materials assets to the civilians sheltering within the entrance to the positioning.

As quickly because the assaults had began and the state of affairs had been assessed, Mozambique LNG lent its help to the Mozambican authorities, particularly by supplying gas for the evacuation and rescue operations.

The runway on the Afungi web site was utilized by the authorities of Mozambique and worldwide organizations working within the space to evacuate individuals by air.

Mozambique LNG workers distributed meals and water to civilians sheltering on the entrance to the Afungi web site.

The Mozambique LNG medical groups had been mobilized to offer emergency medical help to injured civilians who had been evacuated by air and sea from the Afungi web site. The location’s hospital was additionally made out there. Mozambique LNG additionally evacuated greater than 2,500 individuals, together with many civilians by air and sea, particularly by chartering a ferry for this objective. The assets mobilized to take care of the state of affairs had been fairly distinctive for a corporation.

Relating to the blame made towards TotalEnergies for having refused to provide gas to the South African non-public safety firm DAG, this firm was contracted in 2020 by the federal government of Mozambique to hold out offensive, army safety missions towards terrorist teams in northern Mozambique. Safety on the Afungi web site was offered by authorities safety forces. Throughout 2020, a number of NGOs reported critical crimes towards native individuals supposedly perpetrated by DAG. For these causes, Mozambique LNG determined that it will not help the offensive army operations carried out by DAG however has offered its help in rescue operations carried out beneath the authority of the federal government safety forces.

Regarding the care of Mozambique LNG workers, contractors and subcontractors through the assaults

The evacuation plan applied in March 2021 within the aftermath of the assault on Palma concerned all personnel engaged on the Afungi web site, together with these of Mozambique LNG’s contractors and their subcontractors.

It ought to be famous that, following the intensification of the terrorist risk, the variety of workers of Mozambique LNG, its contractors and their subcontractors was considerably lowered in early 2021. The remaining mobilized personnel of Mozambique LNG, the contractors and their subcontractors had been accommodated on the Afungi web site and had been instructed to stay inside the positioning always for safety causes.

In line with the data out there to Mozambique LNG, these directions had been handed on by Mozambique LNG’s contractors to their workers and subcontractors, and no contractor has knowledgeable Mozambique LNG of the presence of workers outdoors the Afungi web site. Throughout the assault on Palma, Mozambique LNG ensured the evacuation of all its personnel and subcontractors’ personnel from the Afungi web site, in addition to numerous civilians.

In whole, greater than 2,500 individuals, half of whom had been personnel of Mozambique LNG and of its contractors and half civilians fleeing the fight zone, had been evacuated from the Afungi web site by sea utilizing a ferry mobilized by Mozambique LNG and by air (aircraft and helicopter).

Growth of the state of affairs following the March 2021 terrorist assaults

Given the deteriorated safety state of affairs within the area, Mozambique LNG determined to withdraw all personnel from the Mozambique LNG undertaking on the Afungi web site. The state of affairs led Mozambique LNG to declare power majeure in April 2021.

The federal government of Mozambique is accountable for restoring safety: that’s the prerogative of a sovereign state. Because of the efforts of the Mozambican authorities, with the help of the South African Growth Group and Rwanda, the safety state of affairs has improved considerably in Cabo Delgado since 2021, and terrorist actions have decreased considerably.

Mozambique LNG displays the safety state of affairs on an ongoing foundation with the help of inside and exterior consultants. A number of audits have been carried out and have confirmed the numerous enchancment within the safety state of affairs within the Cabo Delgado area.

The choice to restart the undertaking relies on the flexibility to finish the undertaking beneath good safety circumstances. This place is shared by all of Mozambique LNG’s companions. Present actions on web site are restricted to strengthening safety infrastructure and bettering entry roads.

As well as, Mozambique LNG is implementing a serious program of socio-economic initiatives for the area people to advertise native financial improvement, contribute to the stabilization of the realm, and help native communities. This socio-economic program for Cabo Delgado is a part of the Pamoja Tunaweza initiative. This program adopted on from the emergency humanitarian assist that was shortly deployed by Mozambique LNG after the assaults on Palma, notably the provision of meals.