At the commission, the minister said that he hopes that the return of these populations will be possible "by the end of the year" and highlighted the importance of Portuguese aid and the mission being prepared by the European Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to resume peace in northern Mozambique.

Armed groups have terrorized Cabo Delgado province since 2017, with some attacks being claimed by the Islamic State group. There are more than 2,800 deaths, according to the ACLED conflict registration project, and 732,000 displaced, according to the United Nations.