In November 2025, the TotalEnergies war crimes charges in France have once again focused attention on the long-running struggle in the Mozambique Cabo Delgado. The complaint focuses on the allegations that the Mozambique LNG project, which is run by TotalEnergies, has been subjected to brutal violations by security forces in the period between July and September 2021 as insurgent attacks escalated. According to reports by those who survived, civilians were held in metal boxes close to the project entrance where they were allegedly tortured and even killed in some instances, in operations conducted by the Joint Task force that was charged with securing the site.
There have been human rights accounts and evidence given by human rights groups that the company knew about these abuses months before they grew out of proportions. Misconduct by the units present in the area was reported by internal communications already in May of 2020, which casts some doubt on whether TotalEnergies could have done anything or changed its security provisions. Critics affirm that even after the warnings, the company still financed and fuelled these forces leaving it vulnerable of falling under the label of complicitness in acts that can create war crimes by international law.
Since 2017, the conflict in Cabo Delgado which is motivated by a combination of local grievances and extremist armed forces has led to a large displacement and instability. International actors have all struggled with the complicated relationship between state actors, non-state security, and insurgents. The operations of TotalEnergies are in the middle of this tension, as it shows the dangers that multinational corporations face when they are operating under volatile environments in the situations in which the protection of the state does not correspond to the international humanitarian principles.
Legal dimensions and the expanding scope of corporate liability
The French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office received the legal complaint which shows an increased application of extra-territorial jurisdiction to cases of corporate complicity in major crimes in foreign countries by France. The complaint, which follows up on a previous one, filed in March and April 2021, by survivors of the attack on Palma in March, the plaintiffs alleged that TotalEnergies did not secure its subcontractor workers and had aided in the circumstances that caused civil deaths. The above case resulted in a pre-trial judicial inquiry in Nanterre in March 2025, which further contributed to the legal review that the company is now under.
The significance of the complicity framework
According to human rights lawyers, the given case might be an essential court precedent in case the French authorities take this case to an ultimate judicial investigation. The emphasis on complicity, as opposed to actual perpetration, indicates a broadening of the definition of corporate liability in international criminal law. The complaint states that supplying resources or logistical aids to forces that engage in abuses can amount to material aid that supports war atrocities even in the absence of clear will.
Challenges in proving knowledge and responsibility
The key question to be considered by the prosecutors will be whether TotalEnergies had adequate knowledge about the alleged abuses and whether the conduct or inaction of the company will have contributed to the abuses. Internal warnings are also a possibility, and the fact that these are substantiated, may become a determinant. According to the legal experts, proving causality in the cases of conflicts in the corporate arena in the conflict zone is not an easy task, especially when the state forces are both security partners and potential culprits of the abuses.
Implications for multinational firms
Provided that French prosecutors move on with the case, it can speed up the process of Western jurisdictions to find corporations liable over actions related to conflict operations abroad. These developments may redefine the process of risk assessment used by multinational companies, especially in such areas as energy or mining where multinational projects are often accompanied by armed violence.
Operational and economic consequences for the Mozambique LNG project
The TotalEnergies accused of war crimes come at an opportune time as the firm tries to reintroduce its operations which were halted under force majeure in 2021. The situation with security in Cabo Delgado has somewhat been improved with the support of the region by Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community, but the LNG project is under the threat of disruption and reputational risk.
Financial pressures and project uncertainty
Early 2025 reports suggested that TotalEnergies was in discussion with respect to a budget amendment that was estimated at $4.5 billion as a result of higher security needs, infrastructure restoration, and operating delays. The criminal complaint threatens to drag out these deliberations and possibly halt investments on the part of investors due to the concern over the legal responsibilities and the questioning minds of the citizens.
Government relations and security expectations
The Mozambican government has supported the company to resume full operations emphasizing that the project is vital to national revenue. Nonetheless, the accusations interfere with the relations between the corporation and the government. The demands to change the security arrangements in the context of the LNG site might grow louder, particularly when pressure is put on Mozambique by external observers, or international institutions to increase the degree of oversight and accountability.
ESG standards and investor confidence
The use of environmental, social, and governance standards is becoming more important to global investors, and any claims of participation in war crimes may derail corporate reputation. TotalEnergies, which has been encouraging its sustainability promises in the recent past, might be under increased pressure from shareholders who want to know about transparency, periodic reviews, and the restructuring of security alliances.
Broader implications for corporate accountability in conflict environments
The TotalEnergies case is an important milestone in the broader debate on corporate behavior in the conflict areas. With the increased activities of multinational corporations to high-risk areas, there has been a wide expectation of international humanitarian and human rights standards.
The shift from voluntary standards to enforceable obligations
Over the years, the concept of corporate responsibilities depended mostly on voluntary programs like the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The Mozambique complaint depicts the mounting pressure toward legal liabilities that are enforceable. Mandatory due-diligence legislation has been enacted in a number of European jurisdictions, and more elaborate corporate accountability systems are also debated in the European Union, imposing additional auditing upon operations such as those of TotalEnergies.
Security partnerships and human rights due diligence
Frequently, companies working in the insecure areas rely on protection of state agents or individual contractors though these arrangements currently also demand a close monitoring in order to prevent possible accomplices. Analysts also suggest that, during risk assessment, conflict sensitivity and direct interaction with affected communities should be incorporated in order to avoid harm. The Mozambique example demonstrates that the lack of control may lead to both legal and ethical issues that have international consequences.
Sector-wide consequences for energy and extractive industries
The energy industry, and in many cases, the junction of the resource wealth and instability sector, might experience a level of increased legal liability should states shift to a direction of insisting on the prosecution of complicity. These events involving TotalEnergies might affect the manner in which the other multinational corporations form contractual agreements, screen security partners and model surveillance systems capable of detecting early symptoms of human rights abuse.
Ethical and strategic considerations shaping TotalEnergies’ next steps
The charges brought against TotalEnergies also highlight the rate at which operational choices in conflict areas can be changed to be issues of morality, governance and global responsibility. The issue of proving legitimate oversight processes, dealing with survivor narratives, and providing openness regarding the choices made in the 2021 security crisis has become a challenge to the company.
As legal proceedings advance, energy companies, investors, and policymakers will monitor how France navigates the balance between national corporate interests and international humanitarian standards. The unfolding case may help define emerging norms for corporate conduct in unstable regions, inviting deeper reflection on how companies reconcile commercial ambitions with responsibilities toward civilian populations whose lives are shaped by the presence of global industry.