• Rwanda and Mozambique signed a defense agreement on August 27, 2025, formalizing Kigali’s troop presence in Cabo Delgado.

• Kigali has deployed over 3,000 soldiers since 2021 to help counter jihadist insurgency in the gas-rich province.

• Both countries also signed an investment pact to expand trade and cooperation in agriculture, industry, and services.

Rwanda and Mozambique signed a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) on August 27, 2025, in Kigali, setting the framework for Rwandan troops stationed in Mozambique. The deal strengthens Kigali’s support in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado, a province hit by jihadist violence since 2017.

“Violent extremism on our continent is a growing threat to our people and development. As Africans, we need to own and confront this problem, as one continent,” said Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Mozambican President Daniel Chapo expressed his gratitude to Rwandan forces, deployed since 2021 alongside the Mozambican army. He praised their role in restoring stability in Cabo Delgado, a strategic region with vast gas resources but destabilized by attacks from the Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa group, locally known as “Shebabs.” Since July 2021, Rwanda has deployed more than 3,000 troops to support Maputo.

Alongside the defense pact, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and Mozambique’s Investment and Export Promotion Agency signed a memorandum of understanding to boost trade and strengthen economic ties between the two countries. President Chapo called for wider cooperation in agriculture, industry, trade, and investment, stressing Mozambique’s need to address both insecurity and climate shocks. The country was hit hard by Cyclone Freddy in 2023, which worsened the food crisis.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Mozambique’s economic growth could rise from 1.9% in 2024 to 3% in 2025, provided that security improves and business activity, particularly in services, continues to recover.