Mozambique: EU Ambassador pays farewell call to President

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Mozambique: EU Ambassador pays farewell call to President

3:03 CAT | 14 Jul 2022

Photo: Twitter / @SBeneditoEU

Ambassador of the European Union in Mozambique, António-Sanchez Gaspar, has presented his farewell greetings to the President of the Republic Filipe Nyusi.

Speaking to the press after the meeting, the ambassador said that the European Union had approved a package of €89 million to finance actions to combat terrorism in Cabo Delgado province.

As I am to end my 4-year mission this month, I today bid farewell to President Filipe Nyusi to whom I expressed the honour and privilege of serving in this country as EU🇪🇺Ambassador and reiterated EU solid partnership with Mozambique🇲🇿 throughout the future. #TeamEurope @eu_eeas pic.twitter.com/DoNiCpqMZC

— Antonio Sánchez-Benedito Gaspar (@SBeneditoEU) July 13, 2022

The amount will be used to purchase equipment and military training for the 11 units of the Defence and Security Forces, some already in training.

“The European Union has already approved €89 million in non-lethal equipment for the 11 commando and marines units that are being trained,” the diplomat explained. The new aid will be spent on training and “individual equipment, uniforms , vests, helmets, communication systems, drones and vehicles”, with part of the equipment arriving within two weeks.

António Sanchez-Benedito Gaspar said that there would also be European Union support for the Rwandan and Southern African Development Community (SADC) forces fighting in Cabo Delgado.

Regarding the Mozambican electoral process, which also requires support, the outgoing diplomat pointed out that the European Union never gives financial support, as a way of avoiding interference.

“The European Union has supported the electoral processes in Mozambique since the first elections in 1994. But, as a matter of non-interference in internal affairs, the European Union does not usually directly finance electoral processes,” he clarified .

“The European Union supports electoral processes in other ways, such as putting into practice the recommendations of observation and capacity building missions to support civil society in local observation work,” he explained.

Gaspar also mentioned the demobilisation and reintegration of the remaining Renamo combatants, warning that the process must not be limited to purely military matters.

“The balance is positive. We have already reached 70% of the demobilisation and the forecast of ending the process this year remains,” he said. However, “it is essential that the process is accompanied by measures of reconciliation, and support, via income generation activities, to the communities most affected by the conflict”.

António Sanchez-Benedito Gaspar says goodbye to Mozambique after four years of maintaining diplomatic channels between the European Union and Mozambique. He will be replaced by Antonino Maggiore, who has served as Italy’s ambassador to Zambia.

Source: Rádio Moçambique / O País