President Nyusi announces end of international mediation in peace talks – Mozambique

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President Nyusi announces end of international mediation in peace talks – Mozambique

1:33 CAT | 03 Feb 2017

O País/ President Filipe Nyusi announced the end of mediated peace talks this morning during the Mozambique Heroes' Day celebrations held in Maputo

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi today announced the closure of the phase involving international mediation in peace negotiations, stating that the mediators will be invited for talks between the government and Renamo if deemed necessary.

“Today, this phase of the dialogue process [which involves international mediation] can be considered closed,” said the Mozambican Head of State at the central ceremonies of Heroes Day in Maputo.

READ Truce extended by two months in Mozambique: What Dhlakama said – Listen

Expressing his “deep gratitude” for the work and dedication of the group, Filipe Nyusi said that international mediators in peace negotiations in Mozambique made a “valuable contribution” in the talks between the Government and the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), the main opposition party .

“The Mozambican people are truly grateful and appreciate the efforts of the mediators to bring closer together the positions of the Government and Renamo,” added the Head of State, noting that letters of thanks were sent to the entire mediation team for their support.

Expressing optimism with the talks he has been holding with Renamo President Afonso Dhlakama, Filipe Nyusi said that the parties decided to create two different groups of experts to deal with “military matters” and the decentralization, demanded by the largest opposition party in Mozambique.

“We appeal to all living forces of society to carry out these actions,” said the Head of State, noting that peace is the “supreme will of Mozambicans.”

READ Peace mediators will only return to Mozambique if summoned – Lusa report

Mozambique is undergoing a political crisis that opposes the government and the main opposition force and the center of the country has been plagued by military conflicts between the Defence and Security Forces and the armed wing of Renamo, who claims victory in the general elections of 2014, accusing the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), in power for more than 40 years, of electoral fraud.

The work of the Joint Commission in the Government and Renamo talks, led by the international mediation team, stopped in mid-December without reaching an agreement on the decentralization package, one of the key issues in the peace negotiations after months of meetings.

At the time, the mediation team’s coordinator, Mario Raffaeli, appointed by the EU, said that the mediators would only return to Maputo if they were called by the parties.

In addition to the decentralization package and the cease-fire, the agenda of the negotiation process includes the de-politicization of the Defence and Security Forces and the disarmament of the opposition’s armed wing, as well as their reintegration into civilian life.

The international mediators were selected by the two parties, Renamo appointed a group of representatives named by the European Union, Catholic Church and South Africa, while the Government appointed the former President of Botswana Quett Masire, on behalf of the Global Leadership Foundation ( founded by US former Secretary of State for African Affairs Chester Crocker), the Faith Foundation, led by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.

In late December, after a telephone conversation with the Mozambican President, Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama declared a one-week truce as a “gesture of goodwill” and later extended it deadline to 60 days.

READ Truce extended by two months in Mozambique: What Dhlakama said – Listen

Source: Lusa