Thousands celebrate a chief who will only rule for eight years
Mozambique: Extradition agreement with Rwanda ‘price to pay’ for support – NGO
8:17 CAT | 13 Jun 2022
FILE - For ilustration purposes only. ]File photo: Further Africa]
The non-governmental organisation (NGO) Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) on Thursday called the extradition agreement signed between Mozambique and Rwanda the price Maputo was paying for helping in the fight against armed groups in Cabo Delgado.
“Gradually, the regime of Paul Kagame [President of Rwanda] is beginning to reap its dividends from sending 2,000 soldiers and police officers to help Mozambique in the fight against violent extremism in Cabo Delgado,” says a CDD opinion piece, entitled “Maputo and Kigali formalise extradition of opponents and critics of Paul Kagame’s regime in Mozambique.”
In the article released today, the organisation said that Rwanda had a “carte blanche” to request the Mozambican authorities to extradite opponents and critics of the Rwandan government who are refugees in Mozambique.
“The signing of the extradition agreement between Mozambique and Rwanda has increased the sense of insecurity of Rwandans living in the country,” the text reads.
The CDD said the understanding was the second blow to the Rwandan community in Mozambique after the appointment of Claude Nikobisanzwe as Rwanda’s high commissioner in Mozambique.
Claude Nikobisanzwe is the diplomat who, in 2014, was expelled from South Africa for suspected involvement in the murder of Patrick Karegeya, the former head of Rwanda’s secret service, found dead in a Johannesburg hotel, the NGO said.
The CDD added that last year the vice-president of the Association of Rwandan Refugees, Revocant Karemangingo, was shot dead on the outskirts of Maputo in “circumstances that have not yet been clarified”.
Also in 2021, Ntamuhanga Cassien, a 37-year-old Rwandan journalist in exile on the island of Inhaca, near the Mozambican capital, disappeared.
Since the arrival of Rwandan troops in July 2021 to fight against armed groups in Cabo Delgado (north), “it was always clear that there were secret agreements through which Maputo would compensate Kigali for the Rwandan military intervention in the Cabo Delgado bush,” the CDD emphasised.
Before the signing of the extradition agreement, a Rwandan business mission was in Maputo, and there have been repeated understandings and visits by leaders of the two countries.
“Rwandan business people have expressed interest in exploring business opportunities in the areas of agriculture, agro-processing, information and communication technologies, tourism, renewable energy, oil and gas, infrastructure, logistics and transport,” the article stated.
In January, a Mozambican government delegation took part in the Rwanda International Fair for the first time.
At the beginning of this month, the speaker of the Rwandan parliament, Donatile Mukabalisa, was in Maputo, where she signed a cooperation protocol with her counterpart, Esperança Bias, which will enable the exchange of experiences and knowledge about parliamentary activities, through the organisation of technical missions and the development of other forms of cooperation.
The extradition and mutual legal assistance agreement was initialled by the Rwandan minister for constitutional and legal affairs, Nyirahabamina Soline, and the Mozambican minister of justice, constitutional and religious affairs, Helena Kida, during her visit to Kigali last week.
The understanding signing was announced on a Rwandan government portal, while the Mozambican side did not disclose the act.
ALSO READ: Rwanda “working to close extradition treaty with Mozambique in the coming days” – report
Source: Lusa
Show comments
Also read
Leave a Reply
Be the First to Comment!
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You must be logged in to post a comment.