The UN highlights the “rapid progress” in the demobilization and reintegration process after the 2019 peace agreement
Nov. 4 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The United Nations has confirmed this Friday the closure of two other bases of the former Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) rebel group in the province of Zambezia (north) and has highlighted the “rapid progress” in the framework of disarmament and reintegration after the peace agreement of 2019.
The personal envoy of the UN Secretary General for Mozambique, Mirko Manzoni, has indicated in a statement that the bases were in the districts of Mocuba and Sabe and has applauded these advances, with the demobilization of more than 800 ex-combatants during the last month.
Thus, he stressed that these people “have embarked on their transition to civilian life” and stressed that “this raises the total number of demobilized people to about 90 percent of the beneficiaries of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process. ) contemplated by the peace agreement.
Manzoni, who has emphasized that these advances represent “a significant success”, has applauded the “continued collaboration and commitment to dialogue shown by the Government (of Mozambique) and RENAMO” and has argued that it represents progress “towards a definitive peace and national reconciliation.
“At a time when we are approaching the end of the demobilization and disarmament phase, we are committed to ensuring that the rest of the combatants are contacted and supported in their journey towards reintegration,” he said, before stressing that this ” is crucial for the sustainability of the process”.
“We ask all actors to play a positive role in advancing peace in Mozambique. The UN remains committed to supporting Mozambique as it continues on its path to a prosperous future of sustainable peace and national reconciliation,” Manzoni stressed.
The peace agreement was signed in August 2019 by the Mozambican president, Filipe Nyusi, and the leader of RENAMO, Ossufo Momade, during a ceremony in Maputo in which various members of the Executive, party leaders and African diplomats were present. .
RENAMO emerged in 1975 as an anti-communist rebel group created and backed by the secret services of the former Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in response to the shelter provided by Mozambique to the guerrillas who were fighting against the government of the white minority in the country. It also had the support of Apartheid South Africa, which provided funds to the rebel group.
For its part, the governmental Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO), founded in 1962 and of a Marxist-Leninist nature, has governed the country since its independence from Portugal in 1975, and the current leader of the party, Nyusi, is also the president. from the country.
