Mozambique: President Nyusi holds virtual meeting with the ICRC president

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Mozambique: President Nyusi holds virtual meeting with the ICRC president

2:50 CAT | 25 Sep 2020

Photo: Twitter / @PMaurerICRC

President Filipe Nyusi held a virtual meeting yesterday with the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Peter Maurer, on the sidelines of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

“During the meeting, the two dignitaries reviewed the excellent cooperation between the Republic of Mozambique and the International Committee of the Red Cross, recalling the role of this humanitarian organisation in the reunification of thousands of Mozambicans displaced and made refugees as a result of the armed conflict which ended in 1992 with the signing of the [Rome] General Peace Agreement,” a statement from the Presidency reads.

On the occasion, the two leaders shared information about the situation in the country, especially the terrorist attacks in some districts in the province of Cabo Delgado and by members of the so-called Military Junta of Renamo, in the provinces of Manica and Sofala.

On the situation in northern Mozambique, they exchanged views on its nature, such as armed violence perpetrated by terrorist groups led by foreign citizens, which resulted in the loss of human lives and displaced people to various districts of Cabo Delgado and the surrounding provinces, in addition to the destruction of economic and social infrastructures, the statement adds.

Taking stock of decades of @ICRC presence in #Mozambique, today President Filipe Nyusi and I shared our preoccupation on the grave situation of people displaced by rising violence in the north of the country. #UNGA #unga75 pic.twitter.com/FR7WiWngEF

— Peter Maurer (@PMaurerICRC) September 23, 2020

Regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, the parties “shared concern about the socioeconomic impact and pledged to cooperate in responding to this highly contagious disease, especially for its control and support for the most vulnerable”.

Nyusi and Maurer also expressed a willingness to increase cooperation and articulation in regard to the ICRC’s humanitarian support operations at all levels.

Finally, they addressed invitations for mutual visits to Mozambique and Geneva, Switzerland, as soon as conditions were favourable.

About Peter Mauer

Peter Maurer was born in Thun, Switzerland, in 1956. He studied history and international law in Bern, where he was awarded a doctorate. In 1987 he entered the Swiss diplomatic service, where he held various positions in Bern and Pretoria before being transferred to New York in 1996 as deputy permanent observer at the Swiss mission to the United Nations. In 2000 he was appointed ambassador and head of the human security division in the political directorate of the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs in Bern.

In 2004 Mr Maurer was appointed ambassador and permanent representative of Switzerland to the United Nations in New York. In this position, he worked to integrate Switzerland, which had only recently joined the United Nations, into multilateral networks. In June 2009, the UN General Assembly elected Mr Maurer chairman of the Fifth Committee, in charge of administrative and budgetary affairs. In addition, he was elected chairman of the Burundi configuration of the UN Peacebuilding Commission. In January 2010 Mr Maurer was appointed secretary of State for foreign affairs in Bern and took over the reins of the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs, with its five directorates and some 150 Swiss diplomatic missions around the world. He succeeded Jakob Kellenberger as ICRC president on 1 July 2012.

Under his leadership, the ICRC carries out humanitarian work in over 80 countries. Mr Maurer’s priorities for his presidency include strengthening humanitarian diplomacy, engaging States and other actors for the respect of international humanitarian law, and improving the humanitarian response through innovation and new partnerships.

Since taking over the presidency of the ICRC, Mr Maurer has led the organization through a historic budget increase, from 1.1bn CHF in 2011 to over 1.8bn CHF in 2016.

Source: O País / ICRC