The European Union Training Mission in Mozambique: a pedagogical perspective to preventing and countering violent extremism

The northern region of Mozambique has been facing violent extremist attacks since 2017, which have been carried out by an Islamic State-affiliated group. The attacks have resulted in mass casualties and a humanitarian crisis, causing thousands of people to be internally displaced. To help the Mozambican armed forces combat the violence, restore security, and protect civilians, the European Union launched the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) in Mozambique. Although the military has a role to play in counterterrorism, the mission's broader ambitions are also evident. This study is based on in-depth interviews with people in the field and aims to describe the mission's main pillars, its impact on the military and the population, and its innovative character - the pedagogical aspect of the EUTM in preventing and countering violent extremism. The preliminary findings indicate that this two-year mission differs from other missions as it incorporates a countering violent extremism branch with preventative strategies. The mission utilizes a pedagogical approach to narrow the gap between the military, the population, and civil society organizations, establish trust, and foster community resilience by eliminating some of the risk factors that lead to violent extremism. Apart from analyzing the EUTM in Mozambique, this study provides technical, political, and scientific recommendations to improve and enhance the results and impact of these types of missions.