US launches 3rd military training program in Mozambique

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) –The US said Thursday that it has launched the third Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) program with Mozambique as part of efforts to build the country’s military capacity to contain growing insecurity.

A statement by the US Embassy in the capital Maputo said the training, launched earlier this week, will last for 10 months, during which the US army will partner with the Mozambican military to hone its special operations skills.

“As a strategic partner, the United States is committed to ensuring our military-to-military engagements continue during such an important moment for Mozambique’s national security,” said US Ambassador to Mozambique Dennis W. Hearne.

“Military exchanges like these are important for the security and prosperity of Mozambique and the region.”

This is the third JCET exercise in Mozambique since March 2021.

The JCET program provides foreign military and US special operations forces an opportunity to exchange knowledge and best practices.

In addition to military training, the exercise will focus on the law of armed conflict, human rights and medical training.

The US Defense Department also provided important tactical combat casualty care and combat lifesaver training courses for the Mozambican armed forces in 2021, which will continue in 2022.

The JCET training comes amid a conflict in Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado, where Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Rwandan troops alongside government forces are battling an insurgency.

“Such training could provide grounds for more ambitious American help for Mozambique’s military, including military intervention. But what is the motivation? It could be part of the US escalation of its militarism,” Edouard Muchanga, a political analyst, told Anadolu Agency.

Besides the US, the European Union is also training Mozambican forces in fighting the insurgency.

In November, the EU launched a military mission to train Mozambican troops to fight terrorism in Cabo Delgado.

Since 2017, terrorist activities and an insurgency in northern Mozambique have left more than 3,000 people dead and nearly 800,000 displaced.​​​​​​​