Africa-Press – Botswana. The good relations between Botswana and Mozambique are worth celebrating and they serve as a pedestal for the two countries to broaden the scope to further strengthen their political and economic ties.
This was revealed by keynote speakers during the commemoration of the 48th anniversary of the independence of Mozambique in Gaborone on Monday.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Lemogang Kwape, the Director- Regional Affairs in the ministry, Ambassador Nkoloi Nkoloi said Botswana established diplomatic ties with Mozambique shortly after their June 25 1975 independence, from Portugal.
Ties were further fortified in 2005 with the establishment of a Joint Permanent Commission, whose seventh meeting in April 2022 in Gaborone was accompanied by the establishment of a Botswana-Mozambique business forum and the launch of the Samora Machel Museum in Lobatse.
Ambassador Nkoloi said Mozambique’s head of state Mr Filipe Nyusi visited Botswana at the time and had fruitful engagements with President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, to further fortify bilateral ties.
Deeper cooperation in trade, health, energy, defence and security is being explored by the two states, Ambassador Nkoloi revealed, adding that Botswana notes with admiration Mozambique’s post-pandemic economic recovery, with mining, tourism, services and other sectors thriving in the aftermath of COVID-19.
He said Botswana was proud to have participated in the Mozambique peace process, with former President Sir Ketumile Masire having been co-chair of the international mediators’ team of the 2016 Political Dialogue, and Botswana heading the International Observer Mission on the Cessation of Military Hostilities in Mozambique.
Botswana was also chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security when the decision was taken to deploy SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) to deal with the terrorist insurgency in the northern Mozambique Cabo Delgado province, with Botswana having the second largest troop contingent there.
For his part, the Ambassador of Mozambique to Botswana Mr Anthony Macheve expressed gratitude that the people of Botswana had supported Mozambique’s liberation struggle from settler colonial Portuguese rule.
He said this was typified by freedom fighters such as founding Mozambique President Samora Machel finding refuge in Lobatse for three months in 1963 as they embarked on a journey to engage in combat to free their country towards self-determination.
Ties between the two states were formalised after Mozambique’s independence in 1975, and through fora such as the Frontline States and the Southern African Development Coordinating Conference, the precursor to SADC with Botswana and Mozambique contributing to the liberation of sister states, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa.
He said unfortunately, after independence, Mozambique was plunged into a debilitating civil war that spanned the years 1977 to 1992, with RENAMO rebel forces supported by Rhodesia and apartheid South Africa to counter Mozambique’s support for South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia’s liberation movements.
This disturbed the country’s post-independence progress until the 1992 Rome Accord led to peace and democracy over two decades as Mozambique was able to introduce multiparty democracy, economic reform and enjoy gross domestic product (GDP) growth until 2012, Ambassador Macheve said.
But after the now official opposition RENAMO questioned the democratic process, the resurfacing of armed conflict between 2013 and 2019 further undermined the country’s political stability, as did the terrorist insurgency in Cabo Delgado.
A lasting solution was found in the Maputo Accord for Peace and National Reconciliation signed by the government and RENAMO in 2019, leading to the process that culminated with the recent completion of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Process, with over 5 000 RENAMO combatants reintegrated into the national army.
With SAMIM also assisting to deal with the terrorist insurgency, Ambassador Macheve said Mozambique now looked forward to political stability and economic growth. He said they were grateful that Botswana partook in both the SAMIM and Maputo Accord peace processes, with President Masisi having recently attended the completion of the disarmament procedure.
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