"We are optimistic, we are moving forward, but we recognize that there are still challenges," the official said in statements quoted by financial news agency Bloomberg, in which he points to the Final Investment Decision only for the end of next year, fulfilling the forecast made in July to start in 2025.

Gibbs' statements come in the same week that the President of Mozambique said that financing is not a reason to delay the implementation of the natural gas megaprojects, led by the French TotalEnergies and the American ExxonMobil.

"It is essential that [the projects move forward] because it cannot be a problem of financial decision, now, associated with the terrorist situation. This project already existed, it is already old. This means that there was clarity in its execution. It cannot be stranded for this reason, that others should be sought," criticized Filipe Nyusi, at the opening, on Thursday morning, in Maputo, of the 10th edition of the Mozambique Mining and Energy Conference and Exhibition.

Specifically, he appealed to the concessionaires of Area 1, led by TotalEnergies, that in the face of the "gradually promising stability" on the Afungi peninsula, Palma district, Cabo Delgado, "accelerate the development of the resumption of the projects on land", and that in Area 4, on land, led by ExxonMobil "the process leading to the Final Investment Decision be accelerated, with the due adjustments to the Development Plan approved in 2018".

In the same speech at the conference, the Head of State stated that the "delay" in the implementation of this type of project "causes problems", because the "expectation of the countries is enormous" and "people start to think that part of their problem can be solved".

In the statements quoted by Bloomberg, Arne Gibbs confirmed that the oil company has completed the preliminary engineering and design work for the 18 million ton per year project in the Rovuma basin, and that the group of engineers and designers will start the project "in the coming months".

Regarding the insurgency that stopped the works in March 2021, Gibbs commented: "There have been significant improvements in the security situation since we started in 2021, and we know that there is still more work to be done".

Exxon's project in Cabo Delgado - a northern province affected by terrorist attacks for over six years - planned to produce 15.2 million tons per year, but the company currently anticipates an annual production of 18 million tons.

The Rovuma LNG project will be "the largest liquefied natural gas project in Africa, and may be the largest project in African history," added Arne Gibbs.

Mozambique has three development projects approved for the exploration of the natural gas reserves in the Rovuma basin, classified among the largest in the world, off the coast of Cabo Delgado.

Two of these projects are larger and plan to channel gas from the seabed to land, cooling it in a factory to export it by sea in a liquid state.

One is led by TotalEnergies (Area 1 consortium) and the works progressed until the suspension for an indefinite period, after an armed attack on Palma, in March 2021, when the French energy company declared that it would only resume work when the area was safe.

The other is the investment still without an announcement in sight led by ExxonMobil and Eni (consortium of Area 4, on land).

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