The Export-Import Bank is set to approve $4.7 billion for the Mozambique LNG project amid serious human rights violation allegations, including an investigation into legal actions against Total Energies related to the Palma Massacre. Critics emphasize the dangers of this project and the inappropriate use of taxpayer funds prioritizing the fossil fuel industry over humanitarian aid.
The U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM) is poised to approve significant financial backing for the Mozambique LNG project, managed by Total Energies. This decision raises serious concerns due to alarming reports of human rights violations associated with the project, particularly in relation to the actions of security forces protecting the gas facilities.
Issues surrounding the Mozambique LNG project include an independent inquiry initiated by the Dutch government into human rights abuses and a corresponding investigation by the Mozambican Attorney General into allegations against unidentified individuals. Furthermore, total Energies faces legal scrutiny from the French state prosecutor regarding allegations of manslaughter linked to the tragic Palma Massacre in 2021.
In addition, a Coroner’s Court in London is set to conduct an inquiry into the death of Philip Mawer, a British subcontractor killed during the Palma Massacre. Concerns about the project have been publicly articulated by Daniel Ribiero from Friends of the Earth Mozambique, criticizing the decision by EXIM to grant $4.7 billion for the project amidst known risks and violations.
Kate DeAngelis, Economic Policy Deputy Director at Friends of the Earth U.S., also condemned the funding, calling it an inappropriate use of taxpayer money that prioritizes fossil fuel interests over humanitarian aid.
Simone Ogno from ReCommon noted the troubling trend of export credit agencies supporting the project without proper assessments of its social and environmental impacts, illustrating a concerning alignment between the Italian and U.S. governments despite documented human rights abuses.
The Mozambique gas project operates in a context of destabilized governance and civil unrest, with protests escalating since October 2024. Estimates suggest that by January 2025, the death toll may have reached at least 314, along with thousands of illegal detentions by government forces responding to dissent.
The imminent approval of the Mozambique LNG project by the U.S. Export-Import Bank raises critical ethical questions regarding human rights and environmental concerns. Reports of severe human rights violations and governmental responses to protests suggest profound risks associated with this project. Experts from various organizations assert that this funding prioritizes corporate interests over humanitarian needs, revealing a troubling trend in international financial decisions.
Original Source: foe.org
