French energy giant TotalEnergies is relaunching its $20 billion natural gas mega-project in Mozambique, according to reports following CEO Patrick Pouyanné’s visit on Thursday. The development, which accounts for an estimated twenty percent of TotalEnergies's gas interests, was suspended in 2021 after a significant jihadist attack in the Cabo Delgado region.
This resumption occurs despite significant prior controversy, including allegations of severe human rights violations near the project site. Politico reported in 2024 that Mozambican soldiers stationed at the site were implicated in the brutalization, starvation, and execution of approximately 200 men over three months.
TotalEnergies previously faced accusations of complicity in war crimes related to the security situation but has consistently denied these allegations. The withdrawal of funding by key partners, including the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, followed the exposure of these abuses, placing the project under intense international scrutiny.
Business paper Les Echos characterized the ongoing commitment to the project as a case of being 'too big to fail' for the energy major. The strategic importance of the gas reserves and the sheer scale of the investment appear to outweigh the accumulated geopolitical and reputational risks.
Separately, the European Union’s recent designation of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist organization generated varied international reactions. Italian daily Il Riformista hailed the move as a 'historic decision,' quoting EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas stating that terrorist behavior warrants terrorist designation.
Conversely, Iranian state media strongly protested the EU’s action. Mehr news agency quoted Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf asserting the Guards act as a primary anti-terrorism force, while the Tehran Times criticized the decision as Western double standards regarding law enforcement.
In cultural news, the French newspaper Libération dedicated its Friday edition entirely to comics, marking the annual tradition honoring the illustrated press, although the main Angoulême festival is currently suspended due to internal disputes. A smaller, fringe festival organized by the town hall is reportedly filling the gap.
