Mozambique: How Cabo Delgado's Riches Became Fuel for the Islamist Insurgency in Mozambique

Islamist violence has marked Cabo Delgado for nearly a decade, despite rubies, timber, and natural gas in the region. The Mozambique Exposed investigation, led by Forbidden Stories with contributions from RFI, examines how wealth exploitation, along with corruption and alleged abuses by security forces, helped fuel the insurgency. The report places key events around 2017, when the rainy season began and violence escalated.

By linking natural-resource wealth to conflict, the piece argues that mismanagement and corruption intensified local grievances and weakened state security. It frames Cabo Delgado as a case study of how global mineral demand intersects with governance failures. This framework carries implications for Mozambique's stability and regional security.