Africa-Press – Mozambique. Mozambique advocates greater engagement between the African Union and the European Union in conflict prevention and combating terrorism and violent extremism.
Mozambique’s position was expressed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the Mozambican Community Abroad, Maria de Fátima Manso, during a speech she delivered on Wednesday morning (21-05) in Brussels.
“At this historic moment, in which the EU-AU partnership celebrates 25 years, we must invest in efforts to effectively approach conflict prevention and combating terrorism and violent extremism, in light of the African Union’s African Peace and Security Architecture, which provides a solid basis in the process of creating foundations for ensuring sustainable peace in Africa,” Manso declared.
The Mozambican diplomat’s brief speech was given during the 3rd European Union-African Union Ministerial Meeting, co-chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Angola and Chairperson of the African Union Executive Council, Tete António. Ministers also celebrated the participation of the President of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.
In her speech, given as part of the discussion on the topic of peace, security and governance, Manso stressed that “an in-depth approach to this phenomenon and other phenomena that pose threats to peace and security is of utmost importance, in order to create effective stability and the implementation of development programmes aimed at the prosperity of our countries and the well-being of the peoples of our continent”.
She stressed that the member countries of the two continental organisations should pay special attention to humanitarian assistance for displaced persons and refugees and for the general population, victims of the “consequences of threats to peace and security”.
Manso described to the African and European foreign ministers present at the meeting the harmful consequences of terrorist actions in Cabo Delgado province for the population and economic and social infrastructure. She took the opportunity to thank the member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Rwanda and the European Union for their support in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. She highlighted the leadership of the President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, in the “internal inclusive dialogue process, aimed at reforms and deepening peace and stability in the country”, in the context of “building a solid and sustainable democracy, as well as a golden peace”.
The Euro-African ministerial meeting held in the Belgian capital was attended by 68 African and European foreign ministers and representatives of the African Union and the European Union. The meeting revolved around four themes, namely peace, security and governance; multilateralism; prosperity; and people, migration and mobility.
In the next few days, Manso will participate in the 119th session of the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), where leaders will assess the degree of implementation of the decisions made in previous sessions and are expected to discuss the process of restructuring the organization’s secretariat.
During her visit to Brussels, Maria de Fátima Manso is accompanied by the ambassadors of Mozambique to Ethiopia and to the Kingdom of Belgium, Ana Nemba Uaiene and Berta Cossa respectively.
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