Supporting Mozambique in the fight against COVID-19

Today, TotalEnergies​ and its partners in the Mozambique LNG Project are working closely with the Government of Mozambique to manage a number of cases of COVID-19 at or with connection to the project site on the Afungi Peninsula in northern Cabo Delgado. 

The Project has been working with the Ministry of Health to identify all contact persons – including people offsite – in order to take the necessary preventive measures, including quarantining of people who have had contact with the confirmed cases.

At the Afungi site, TotalEnergies​, in agreement with the Ministry of Health, has undertaken a rigorous program of testing to understand the prevalence of the virus at site.  The Project has established health management protocols in place to support those testing positive and to quarantine those who have come into contact with them.

In agreement with Mozambican health authorities we have significantly reduced the number of people at site to allow for a thorough program of disinfection.  This is the best way to rid the site of the virus and ensure the Project is well-placed to return to work when the effects of the global pandemic begin to ease.

We are targeting COVID-free status by the end of May.

what’s happening at Afungi?

Following the discovery of COVID-19 at site, all non-critical activity at the Project site was paused to enable us to be focused on health management and, with the support of the Ministry of Health, the eradication of the virus from the site.

The Afungi Pioneer Camp

For now, those remaining at Afungi are working on security and logistics, as well as the disinfection program.  Once the site is declared COVID-free, and in adherence with Ministry of Health guidelines, we will gradually return to work.

Based on current forecasts, this temporary suspension of activity will not have a material impact on project schedule, and we remain on track to deliver first LNG cargoes in 2024.

Mozambique LNG Stands With Mozambique

Beyond measures relating to its own Project area and footprint, TotalEnergies​ is providing considerable support to the Government of Mozambique – particularly at District and Provincial level – as it looks to respond to this global pandemic.  The Project is currently working to deliver the following:

• Refurbishment of a 50-bed ward at Pemba Hospital for the isolation of COVID-19 patients
• An isolation tent for Palma Hospital
• Ventilators for use in provincial hospitals
• Various items of PPE, including an initial delivery of 50,000 face masks
• 12,000 sample collection kits to be delivered to the Ministry of Health
• A new laboratory in Pemba – the provincial capital
• Laboratory and testing equipment

Ronan Bescond stated that “We have already started to receive some of this material that had been ordered some time ago and in the coming weeks we will receive the other that we are going to send to the destination.

“In view of this global pandemic that also affects Mozambique and our company, we must live up to our values of solidarity and the duty to contribute to the national response against COVID-19. The health and well-being of our employees and the communities where we operate are an imperative”.

Supporting the ambulance service

Through its downstream, retail business TotalEnergies​ is supporting the ambulance service by providing fuel to the value of 500,000 MTS.

TotalEnergies​ and Health Ministry representatives during the fuel cards delivery

The company’s Managing Director, Ronan Bescond, said that the ambulance service is essential to any medical emergency and particularly with respect to any pandemic response.

“Total​ stands in solidarity with the Mozambican Ambulance Service, and with all first responders, in this difficult time,” he added.