Mozambique: President tells Renamo leader that 34% of former guerrillas already receive a pension
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President Filipe Nyusi on Thursday reiterated that the peace process in Mozambique is irreversible and that true peace requires one to never have enemies. He stressed, “between Mozambicans we are not enemies, so the route we have chosen is dialogue”.
The President was speaking in Maputo at a state banquet in honour of the Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Costa, who is on a two-day official visit to the country.
He explained, “we have decided to speak before exhausting all our energy, resources, and good faith which is needed to construct bridges, produce food, install water and energy facilities, and build houses, education, health and sustainable politics for the eradication of poverty.”
President Nyusi stated that the country is consolidating the democratic process to make it more inclusive through decentralisation. However, he pointed out that the most important step in guaranteeing there is no resort to military hostilities is the disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration into everyday life, of the armed men under the command of the country’s largest opposition party Renamo.
He noted that to be successful this step will require, besides political will, trust between Mozambicans, technical and organisational capacity, and financial resources.
Turning to international relations, President Nyusi stated that Portugal cannot be indifferent to the opportunities Mozambique offers due to its innumerable advantages in the relationship between the two countries. He added that Mozambique offers much more than natural resources and tourism, with other opportunities in agriculture, fish, infrastructure, energy, culture, manufacturing consumer goods, technology, and transport.
Prime Minister Costa congratulated the President for his extraordinary efforts to restore peace in Mozambique which will conclude with the successful holding of municipal elections in the coming months.
He added, “also allow me to thank you for the generous and open manner in which Mozambique has been welcoming Portuguese citizens and companies over the years and particularly in times which have been very hard for the Portuguese economy and not easy for the Mozambican economy”. The Prime Minister stressed that it was during this period of economic difficulties when both countries demonstrated that they were good friends.
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