Timber Smuggling Fuels Mozambique Insurgency, Funds Militants

Timber smuggling worth $23 million annually from Mozambique's ancient forests to China is financing a brutal Islamist insurgency in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. The illicit trade in rosewood, a highly prized tropical hardwood, is linked to the financing of Mozambique's violent militants with ties to Islamic State.

Why this matters: The illegal timber trade has far-reaching consequences, perpetuating violence and instability in the region while also contributing to the depletion of Mozambique's natural resources. If left unchecked, this trade could fuel further extremist activity, posing a threat to regional and global security.

A four-year undercover investigation by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) revealed poor management of officially sanctioned forest concessions, illegal logging, and corruption among port officials, allowing the trade to expand unchecked in insurgent-controlled areas. The EIA estimates that the insurgents generate $1.9 million monthly from the timber trade.

The timber trade is concentrated in three main forested areas in Cabo Delgado: Nairoto, Muidumbe, and Mueda, as well as one area in neighboring Nampula province. China is the primary destination for Mozambique's rosewood, with over 20,000 tonnes worth $11.7 million imported last year. The EIA tracked a huge rosewood shipment of 300 containers, valued at around $18 million, from the port of Beira to China between October 2023 and March 2024.

A Mozambique government report stated, "Al-Shabaab insurgents have taken advantage of the illicit timber trade to fuel and finance the reproduction of violence." The report added, "The insurgents' involvement in the smuggling of fauna and flora products, including wood, and the exploitation of forest and wildlife resources is contributing to a very high level of fundraising for the insurgency group."

The revelation comes as fighting has resumed in the north of Mozambique, with at least 100 insurgents staging an attack on the town of Macomia. The insurgency has moved its bases further south due to the increased presence of soldiers in the north and has gained enough funds to recruit in neighboring Nampula province.

Mozambique passed a law banning the export of unprocessed timber in 2017. However, the illegal trade has continued unabated, with hundreds of thousands of tonnes of timber being exported to China every year in defiance of Mozambican law and an international treaty on endangered wildlife. The trade has led to a resurgence in fighting in the region, with insurgents gaining funds to recruit more fighters and expand their operations.

Key Takeaways

• Timber smuggling from Mozambique to China worth $23 million/year finances Islamist insurgency.
• Illegal rosewood trade linked to Islamic State-tied militants in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado.
• Corruption and poor forest management enable illegal logging and timber exports.
• China imports over 20,000 tonnes of Mozambican rosewood annually, worth $11.7 million.
• Illegal timber trade fuels violence and instability in Mozambique and beyond.