“The full cost to the Government of Rwanda is at least 10 times more, in addition to the ultimate sacrifice of loss of soldiers’ lives, all to stabilize Cabo Delgado,” she said.
Makolo was reacting to a report by Bloomberg indicating that the European Union’s funding to Rwandan forces deployed in Cabo Delgado could come to an end in May 2026.
The €20 million package was approved by foreign ministers of the European Union during a meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on November 18, 2024. It followed another €20 million support package granted to Rwandan troops in December 2022, about a year and a half after they began the deployment.
The reported halt in funding comes after the United States announced sanctions against the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) on March 2, 2026, accusing Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group, allegations Kigali has repeatedly denied.
A spokesperson for the European Union said the assistance programmes approved in 2022 and 2024 will expire in May 2026, adding that the bloc is reviewing the implications of the recent US sanctions targeting Rwandan military leaders.
Bloomberg reported that there are currently no plans to extend the funding.
Makolo noted that Rwanda’s continued deployment in Cabo Delgado, if deemed necessary, depends on sufficient and predictable support.
“The sustainability of Rwanda’s bilateral counter-terrorism deployment in Mozambique, if our forces are actually needed, depends on adequate, predictable funding,” she said.
She recalled that Rwanda first deployed its forces in 2021 following a request from the Mozambican authorities.
“Rwandan Forces went to Cabo Delgado in 2021 at the request of the Mozambican government, to work with a brotherly African country that needed the support; money was not the first consideration,” she said.
Makolo highlighted the impact of the mission, noting that civilians have returned to their homes, children have gone back to school, businesses have reopened, and major foreign investments have resumed.
Cabo Delgado is rich in natural gas resources and hosts major liquefied natural gas projects led by TotalEnergies, valued at around $20 billion.
The project has also received backing from the Export-Import Bank of the United States.
Makolo stressed that the work carried out by the Rwanda Defence Force has benefited both local communities and companies investing in LNG projects.
“To be clear, the work of RDF in countering terrorism in Cabo Delgado has benefitted the Mozambican people and the companies investing in LNG, and supporting that work is not a favor being granted to Rwanda,” she said.
“Should the RDF Command assess that the work being done by Rwandan Security Forces in Cabo Delgado is not appreciated, they would be right to urge the government to end this bilateral counter-terrorism arrangement and pull out,” Makolo concluded.
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