<article><p class="lead">The security situation in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado district has been restored and oil companies developing LNG projects in the area should resume their work, Rwandan president Paul Kagame has said. </p><p>The Mozambique government asked the Rwandan army to help it restore security in Cabo Delgado, near where TotalEnergies is developing its 13.1mn t/yr Mozambique LNG project, which <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2200323">halted construction in March</a> and declared force majeure in <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2209118">April</a> as the security outlook in the area deteriorated. </p><p>Oil companies can now return to the area since it is safe and continue with their work, Kagame added.</p><p>Mozambique police and troops from the Southern African Development Community are supporting Rwandan forces in the area, the Rwandan government said. </p><p>But work at the Mozambique LNG project may only be able to resume in 12-18 months, provided that the security outlook in the area continues to improve, the president of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, said. </p><p>Should construction resume within this timeline, the project could begin production by 2025 or 2026, having initially been slated for 2024. </p><p>TotalEnergies chief executive Patrick Pouyanne previously said the completion of the project was delayed by "at least a year", and its completion is "no more in [their] hands". </p><p class="bylines">By Mercy Matsiko</p></article>
