A French public prosecutor's office launched an investigation into French multinational energy company TotalEnergies on manslaughter and failure to assist a person in danger charges regarding the major's handling of a 2021 attack on the Mozambican town of Palma by Islamic State affiliates, Franceinfo reported on March 14. This comes as a case was first filed in October 2023 by survivors of the attack on Palma, where TotalEnergies' $20 billion Mozambique LNG is located, as well as families of victims -- who accused the company of failing to ensure the safety of its subcontractors. The French major stressed that it firmly rejects these accusations but noted that it would cooperate with judicial authorities. Despite criticism by human rights and environmental activists, TotalEnergies cleared a major hurdle to resume work on the project after the U.S. Export-Import Bank, or EXIM, approved $4.7 billion in financing for Mozambique LNG on March 13 despite opposition to such a move by certain allies of U.S. President Donald Trump. Previous comments by TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne suggest the French major may now look to set 2030 as the project's completion date. However, this will be heavily contingent on changes in Mozambique's political stability, as the country continues to face attacks from Islamic State affiliates in its northern Cabo Delgado province, as well as heightened discontent from opposition supporters following the October 2024 general election, which observers widely saw as rigged by the ruling Frelimo party and triggered nationwide protests that lasted months....
