Mozambique still facing the ‘cancer of terrorism’ – President Nyusi

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Mozambique still facing the ‘cancer of terrorism’ – President Nyusi

6:01 CAT | 23 Jul 2024

Photo: Presidente Filipe Nyusi/Facebook

Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi said on Monday that the country was still facing the ‘cancer of terrorism’ in the northern region, but ‘it’s relatively stable’.

‘It’s a cancer that will be hard to make disappear (…), but the situation was much worse,’ compared to the current moment, said Nyusi, at a meeting with the speakers of parliament of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), who are in Maputo for the 13th Ordinary Session of the organisation’s Parliamentary Assembly (AP-CPLP).

Nyusi said that the armed groups no longer control any villages, after having been expelled from the areas they held at the ‘peak’ of their action, between 2020 and 2021, as a result of the counter-offensive unleashed by the Mozambican government forces with the help of the Southern African Military Mission (SAMIM) contingent – which withdrew completely on 4 July – and the Rwandan army, which is still on the ground.

‘The populations are returning [to their areas of origin], we had many displaced people, we are in the reconstruction phase’ of the infrastructure destroyed by the insurgents, said the Mozambican head of state.

Nyusi thanked the CPLP countries for their solidarity with the efforts to combat terrorism in Cabo Delgado, welcoming the humanitarian aid that the organisation’s countries have provided to the victims of armed attacks in Cabo Delgado.

Nyusi also pointed out that the waves of armed conflict with the former Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) guerrilla, the main opposition party, are now over, as part of the agreement that led to the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) of the fighting by that political force.

‘Reintegration takes time, but disarmament and demobilisation have already reached more than 5,000 armed Renamo men,’ he stressed.

The president pointed out that the government has adopted a unique DDR model, integrating the former guerrillas of the main opposition party into social security, even if they have not channelled benefits for this purpose, as is legally required.

At the end of the audience with the CPLP’s speaker of parliaments, Filipe Nyusi held a bilateral meeting with the speaker of parliament of Portugal, Aguiar-Branco.

Aguiar-Branco told journalists that he had ‘an exchange of views’ with Nyusi, whom he had met when they were both defence ministers in their respective countries.

According to the meeting programme, the speakers of parliament from Portuguese-language countries will meet today and Tuesday in Maputo. The agenda includes the theme of ‘Promoting Democracy and the Rule of Law’.

The 13th Ordinary Session of the AP-CPLP will also assess the situation regarding ‘Electoral Processes in CPLP Member States’ and hold meetings on ‘Strategy, Legislation, Citizenship and Movement’, ‘ Economy, Environment and Cooperation’, and’ Language, Education, Science and Culture’.

The CPLP parliaments’ women’s and youth network meetings are also planned.

Source: Lusa