TotalEnergies, the French energy giant, has announced plans to resume work on its $20 billion Mozambique LNG project by mid-2025, following a four-year suspension due to security concerns in Cabo Delgado province.

The project, located in the Palma district, was halted in 2021 after an Islamist militant attack on the town of Palma. The attack forced TotalEnergies to invoke force majeure and pause construction.“We are planning to restart construction on the 12.8 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) project by the middle of this year,” said TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne.

The company’s decision follows the approval of a $5 billion loan from the US Export-Import Bank, which had previously provided financing but needed re-approval after the suspension.

Additionally, Mozambique’s government expects renewed support from UK and Dutch export credit agencies, boosting the funding needed for TotalEnergies to lift the force majeure and resume operations.

The Mozambique LNG project, in which TotalEnergies holds a 26.5% stake, had initially positioned the country as a rising global LNG producer before security challenges halted its progress.

With improved security conditions, the company and the government aim to rejuvenate investment and production in Mozambique’s energy sector.