EU and Catholic Church confirm receiving invitation to mediate peace talks – Mozambique

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EU and Catholic Church confirm receiving invitation to mediate peace talks – Mozambique

10:38 CAT | 06 Jul 2016

Lusa (File photo) / The head of state's invitations for mediation were delivered on Friday, July 1, in Maputo, at the EU delegation and the Apostolic Nunciature. Lusa did not obtain confirmation from the South African representation in the country

Both the European Union (EU) and the Catholic Church have confirmed that they have been formally invited by Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi to mediate an end to the political crisis between the government and the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo).

According to an EU source, the EU delegation in Maputo received on Friday, July 1, a letter from the head of state addressed to the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, inviting a team of mediators to attend the peace talks.

The spokesman of Mozambique Episcopal Conference and Auxiliary Bishop of Maputo, Bishop Dom João Nunes, also confirmed to Lusa that an invitation from Filipe Nyusi was delivered to the in Maputo as representative of the Vatican, inviting the Catholic Church to take a mediating role in the crisis.

The representation of South Africa, the third party invited to mediate in the peace process, has not yet replied to Lusa’s enquiry about receiving the invitation to mediate.

Last week, José Manteigas, deputy and member of the Renamo negotiating team, said that the two delegations had reached an agreement on the terms of reference of the participation of mediators in the talks, but deferred the disclosure of details until the time mediators start taking part in proceedings.

Filipe Nyusi and the leader of the main opposition party, Afonso Dhlakama, announced in June that they had reached consensus by telephone on the participation of international mediators in negotiations to end the fighting between the Mozambican Defence and Security Forces and the armed wing of Renamo.

Although the two sides have resumed negotiations, attacks by alleged Renamo gunmen against civilian and military vehicles in the centre of the country have continued, with Renamo accusing Defence and Security Forces of intensifying the bombing in the hills of Gorongosa, where it is presumed that Afonso Dhlakama is in hiding.

At a rally on Monday in Nampula province in the north of the country, the Mozambican president argued that the Renamo leader “must stop killing people”.

“He must stop killing, because that was never the correct way to govern,” Nyusi said, adding that he has spoken to Dhlakama on a possible meeting between the two leaders to work towards an end to instability in the country.

The main opposition party refuses to accept the results of the general elections in 2014, claiming the right to govern in the six provinces where it claims victory in the poll.

Source: Lusa