"They are truly elite teams, made up of very capable, dedicated soldiers, very interested in sharing experiences and training with us. They are forces that I am confident, not only from what I see and the feedback I have, will become a reference in this type of unit, especially because they are what we consider appropriate for the type of insurgency that is taking place in Cabo Delgado," said the commander, in an interview with Lusa. EUTM-MOZ, led by Portugal, has trained over 1,650 Mozambican commandos and marines in almost two years, who now make up 11 Rapid Reaction Force (QRF) companies, which are already fighting terrorism in Cabo Delgado, as well as a hundred trainers. "Their flexibility of employment, their speed, all these characteristics are suitable for that theater of operations. It is natural and I note with satisfaction that there continue to be Mozambican soldiers who want to be part of the QRFs, it is a kind of quality certificate," added Major-General João Gonçalves. The Council of the European Union (EU) announced this month the extension of the military training mission in Mozambique until June 30, 2026, with a planned budget of 14 million euros for the next two years, which will be only for the operation's functioning. The new mission will incorporate a strategic change, becoming known as the EU Military Assistance Mission in Mozambique (EUMAM Mozambique), with effect from September 1, 2024. Over the last two years, in a mission led by Portugal, the European Union has also made 89 million euros available for the supply of non-lethal material that now equips these 11 QRF companies of the Mozambican Defense Armed Forces (FADM). "I believe that we have made a very significant increase in the quality of the overall performance of the FADM due to the multidisciplinary nature of the training that we have been developing with them," he stressed. "New capabilities have been created that the FADM did not have, namely the technical specialization of both marines and commandos and the integration of something that did not exist until now, which are the advanced air controllers who will be integrated into these companies and serve to promote the use of the air component in the theater of operations. This capability did not exist in the FADM, it now exists with elements trained to accompany each of these 11 rapid action teams," added the commander. In addition to the training of the soldiers who make up these rapid special forces companies, and their equipment, instructors have also been trained "so that Mozambique acquires the autonomous capacity to maintain or expand" these QRFs. These companies are already on the ground, in Cabo Delgado, trained "with added value to face this insurgency": "I am not the one saying it, it is the Mozambicans themselves. I do not want to be the evaluator of my own work, mine and that of my predecessors, but it is the people of Mozambique, the forces of Rwanda [which also operate in Cabo Delgado], contacts that I have been having with people who operate in the Northern Theater of Operations, including civilians, who attest to this added value of the training and equipment that the European Union has also provided." EUMAM Mozambique will adapt its strategic objectives, transitioning from a training model to one of assistance with advice and "specialized training" for these special companies. The commander argues that "the mission having changed to a new paradigm" is "the corollary of the recognition of success." "Mozambique was satisfied with this success and asked the European Union to extend the mission and, on the other hand, on the part of the European Union, there is also a demonstration of satisfaction with the results achieved and as such, if the partnership is working well, we will extend it," said Major-General João Gonçalves, of the Portuguese Air Force. The current EUTM-MOZ includes 119 soldiers from 13 Member States, more than half from Portugal, but it has the particularity of integrating two other countries, outside the European Union, which contribute one soldier each, in the cases of Serbia and Cape Verde. Also Read: Mozambique's appeal for lethal weapons? "It is legitimate," says EU commander (Portuguese version)