Mozambique: Xai-Xai mayor assaulted at his home by man with two firearms - Watch
File photo / Afonso Dhlakama
Comment: Matching Renamo’s demand with its [government’s] own high profile mediators is an unusually bold step. There will now be a very large group of 18 people around the table – 6 on each of the Renamo and government teams and 6 mediators. Nevertheless, the high profile of the mediators could have three advantages:
First, they will not put up with the delays by both sides which led to such slow movement of previous talks, which could force the pace of the talks.
Second, the talks really need mediators who can think outside the box and find alternative ways forward.
Third, they may help with an item not on the agenda: money. Clearly Renamo head Afonso Dhlakama wants a lot of money, probably several hundred million dollars. A bankrupt government does not have that money to give, while Renamo will argue that it is bankrupt only because it stole so much money. The EU is both one of the six mediators and chair of the budget support donors, so its approval of giving money to Renamo would smooth the process. The obvious choice would be to set up the Afonso Dhlakama Democracy Foundation (similar to Chissano and Guebuza foundations) and provide substantial funding for that foundation, which Dhlakama could dispense as he wanted.
By: Joseph Hanlon
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