(Bloomberg) -- Heads of state of the Southern African Development Community agreed to establish a regional counter terrorism center amid an Islamist insurgency in Mozambique's northern region.
SADC nations including Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Botswana have deployed troops to help Mozambique fight back the Islamic State-linked militants in the Cabo Delgado province. The four-year insurgency has displaced 800,000 people and forced TotalEnergies SE to suspend work on a $20 billion natural gas project.
Tanzania offered to host the body that will offer strategic advisory services to the 16-country bloc, according to a statement issued at a summit of the leaders. The nations also plan to create a regional central bank and monetary union.
“The African Monetary Institute and the African Central Bank should be long-term objectives,” according to the statement.
Read more: Troops Eject Rebels Who Besieged Total's Mozambique Project (1)
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