Title: Explaining Security and Insecurity in Africa: The Case of Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado
Author/Institution: Gustavo Mendes – PhD Thesis, University of Pretoria
Publication Year: 2021
Conflict Dynamics and Resource Politics
Mendes analyzes the roots of the insurgency in Cabo Delgado, linking security breakdowns to unequal benefit distribution and community exclusion from LNG revenues. The thesis situates Mozambique’s LNG projects within broader patterns of extractive conflict and governance failure, illustrating how economic marginalization fuels insecurity.
Empirical Approach
Through interviews with displaced families, local leaders, and government officials, Mendes traces how the militarization of energy zones has undermined community trust. His findings reveal that the absence of local participation in decision-making—combined with perceived foreign dominance—has eroded the state’s social license to govern in resource-rich areas.
Theoretical and Policy Implications
The study argues that sustainable peace in Cabo Delgado requires linking security reform with inclusive development and transparent revenue-sharing. It offers a crucial academic foundation for understanding how extractive projects intersect with human security, legitimacy, and social cohesion.