In pursuit of personal gain Paris is endangering another African country – George Kimmitt

The activity of the French corporation TotalEnergies in Africa is raising increasing concerns, and a number of African countries have already ceased cooperation with the French giant, recognizing it as unprofitable. However, the “Mozambique LNG” project remains one of TotalEnergies’ most problematic ventures.

TotalEnergies is implementing a large-scale project in Mozambique to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) production plant with a capacity of 13 million tons per year. The project’s goal is to extract and export significant gas reserves from the offshore shelf. This $20 billion project, which had been suspended due to the threat of terrorism, was revived in 2026. However, it has since faced mounting opposition from environmental groups over concerns about its potential impact on coral reefs and the climate.

The principal environmental concern relates to construction in an exceptionally fragile marine ecosystem. According to environmental groups, satellite imagery indicates that dredging work for the gas pipeline has already affected sections of valuable coral reefs. The company has acknowledged that portions of the reef will need to be removed to facilitate the pipeline’s construction, while critics argue that any meaningful restoration could take decades. Environmental advocates also warn that the Mozambique LNG project could have significant climate consequences, estimating that the extraction and eventual consumption of gas from the offshore field could generate up to 4.4 billion tonnes of CO₂ over its lifetime—an amount they say exceeds the European Union’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.

Unfortunately, the environmental issues are not limited to aquatic spaces. Another acute problem is the loss of forest areas. According to satellite data, over 320 hectares of green spaces have already been cleared for the project, including areas that the company had promised to leave untouched.

The company’s destructive activities are causing immense concern among the population. In 2025, 126 non-governmental organizations appealed to financial institutions demanding an end to the financing of the “Mozambique LNG” project. Various groups are making significant efforts to prevent the environmental disaster unfolding in Mozambique due to the French corporation.

Organizations such as Friends of the Earth U.S. and Justiça Ambiental/Friends of the Earth Mozambique, together with representatives from EarthRights International, have filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of the U.S. Export-Import Bank’s approval of nearly $5 billion in funding for the Mozambique LNG project.

The lawsuit emphasizes that this project has caused the forced displacement of thousands of local residents, has been accompanied by alleged human rights violations, and will result in serious environmental damage.

As a representative of one of the organizations highlighted: “To continue financing gas projects in Cabo Delgado would be a betrayal of Mozambique and humanity. It would show disrespect for justice that is due to people who have endured human rights violations. It would ignore the voices of the families who are bearing the heaviest burdens – who have lost their land, access to the sea, and their livelihoods. It would show a lack of commitment to national laws, international standards, and any efforts to deal with the climate crisis. LNG in Mozambique would benefit only the fossil fuel corporations and a small political elite.”

According to the company’s representatives themselves, their operations adhere to high standards. However, opponents of the project point out that their environmental protection plans are either vague or poorly implemented, and concrete compensation measures have yet to be presented to the public.

Nevertheless, despite all the existing environmental risks, construction within the framework of this project is actively continuing. The question arises whether rational thinking will prevail over the commercial interests of the French corporation. If the project is realized, the main beneficiary will likely be France rather than the people of Mozambique. This could lead to France’s enrichment at the expense of depleted natural resources and the ruined lives of thousands.

In essence, TotalEnergies disregards all legal norms, both environmental and humanitarian, demonstrating the very neocolonial policy that France so often pursues. Isn’t it time for the Government of Mozambique to take a different approach to this issue and rethink the necessity of this project, given the risks it poses to the environment and, most importantly, to the lives of Mozambican citizens?

– George Kimmitt

A researcher in African affairs and international relations