Financial institutions are being urged to immediately withdraw their financial support from TotalEnergies' Mozambique LNG project in Cabo Delgado, following the exit of UK Export Finance (UKEF) and the Dutch export credit agency Atradius DSB over human rights concerns.

Civil society organisations have sent a formal letter to about 30 public and private financial institutions linked to the project, highlighting its alleged links to serious human rights violations, the deteriorating regional security, and the risks of economic instability for Mozambique. The letter also warns of the growing legal risks for institutions involved with the project and the increasingly evident environmental risks. (1) 

It follows the landmark withdrawals of both UKEF and Atradius DSB from the financing of the project in early December, with both institutions citing heightened security and human rights risks. An investigation into allegations of human rights violations and an assessment of the security conditions relating to the project, both commissioned by the Dutch Government, were also made public in early December. (2)

“Given the risks and difficulties in Mozambique to address human rights violations or even to get acknowledgement from the authorities that they occur, it becomes important that these crimes are investigated in other spaces and jurisdictions, such as in France. There must be justice for the victims and their families, and there must be full accountability from all parties involved.” - Daniel Ribeiro, Justiça Ambiental!

“Reports and investigations pointing to human rights violations associated with the Mozambique LNG project are piling up. Victims and affected communities must have access to justice and remedies in France, as it is where the decisions are made by the parent company. While TotalEnergies is already facing two criminal complaints before French courts, financial actors should now realize that they are also increasingly exposed to legal risks if they don’t withdraw from this disastrous gas project.” - Juliette Renaud, Coordinator, Friends of the Earth France

“Banks cannot turn a blind eye to the reports published by the Dutch government that describe serious human rights violations. It is time for Crédit Agricole and Société Générale to wake up to the reality of this project and walk away - in the interests of the local communities, and the global climate.” – Antoine Bouhey, Defund TotalEnergies campaign coordinator, Reclaim Finance

“Export credit agencies exist to shield banks and companies from risk. When they refuse to back the Mozambique LNG project because it is too risky, financial institutions – especially those that were covered by UKEF or Atradius, like Standard Chartered – need to come to the same conclusion and withdraw support for the project. This is not only about financial exposure, but about basic responsibility: no bank should associate itself with a company accused of complicity in war crimes.” - Rieke Butijn, Climate campaigner and researcher, BankTrack

The Mozambican government had last week urged TotalEnergies to resume operations, although it is still in the process of auditing an amended budget proposed by the company in early November. There are concerns and warnings that the proposed deal – which includes additional costs of US$ 4.5 billion and an extended concession period – would result in reduced and delayed benefits for Mozambique. (3) 

The letter urges financial institutions to consider the high risks associated with this project in relation to their human rights, ESG, and climate commitments. Financial institutions are asked to respond formally by 15 January 2026.

Please download the letter here.  

Notes:

(1) ECCHR, 18 November 2025, TotalEnergies faces criminal complaint for complicity in war crimes, torture and enforced disappearance in Mozambique; Le Monde, 15 March 2025, French prosecutors launch manslaughter probe against TotalEnergies over Mozambique attack; TotalEnergies, 20 November 2025, Mozambique LNG: Clarification by TotalEnergies ; TotalEnergies, 2025, Chronology of exchanges between TotalEnergies and media about Mozambique LNG; 

West and Lépiz, 2021, Too Late to Count: a financiaSocio-economicl analysis of Mozambique’s gas sector;  Justiça Ambiental!, August 2025, Energy projects fuel hunger in Palma; Moz24H, 15 August 2025, Palma residents want Totalenergies out of Afungi – Moz24h; Justiça Ambiental, 14 May 2025 Resettlement Chaos continues at Afungi gas site; US DFC IAM, 13 August 2025, IAM Assessment Report Rovuma LNG Project, Mozambique; Data Desk, 27 August 2025, Dredging in Palma Bay, Mozambique;  Engelbrecht CA, et al, (2025), True Risk: The environmental risks of deep-sea gas exploitation in the Rovuma Basin of Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. 

(2) The UK Export Finance (UKEF) decision, made “based on a comprehensive assessment of the project and the interests of UK taxpayers”, explicitly recognised that risks have increased dramatically since 2020. UK Parliament, 01 December 2025, Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament.

The withdrawal of Atradius DSB from the project followed an in-depth investigation conducted by the Netherlands Institute for International Relations (Clingendael) and a security assessment by Pangea Risk, both commissioned by the Dutch Government. Netherlands Ministry of Finance, 01 December 2025, Antwoord op vragen van de leden Hirsch, Van der Lee en Teunissen over de exportkredietverzekeringen voor een LNG-project in Mozambique | Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal; Clingendael, 01 December 2025, Human rights violations by Mozambican security forces in the context of the Mozambique LNG project | Clingendael; Pangea-Risk, 07 November 2025, Mozambique LNG Project. 

(3)   CDD, 29 October 2025, Mozambique LNG will resume, but with even fewer expected benefits for Mozambicans; ISS, 10 November 2025, Terrorism takes its toll on Mozambique’s gas revenue | ISS Africa; Bloomberg, 09 December 2025, Mozambique Leader Chapo Says Total Should Restart LNG Project - Bloomberg.