Africa-Press – Mozambique. Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Wednesday in Maputo warned that the fight against terrorism should not distract the attention of the Armed Forces (FADM) from the many other threats and challenges they must wrestle with, to ensure peaceful economic growth and development.
Addressing the opening session of a meeting of the Coordinating Council of the Ministry of Defence, Nyusi said that terrorist activities in Mozambique are evidence that the current threats transcend the political borders established among states and have become more internationalised. Nonetheless, this should not distract the FADM from its main agenda.
“This reality poses a great challenge to the defence sector, which must therefore improve its response mechanism to the dynamics brought by the threats to security and national integrity”, Nyusi said, adding that threats to global, regional and national security are dynamic with variations which are increasingly complex, thus demanding an insightful answer.
In the face of the current trends, Nyusi stressed that the defence sector must become more proactive, assessing the various scenarios, and must forecast the measures needed for an effective combat. At no time, should the defence forces be taken by surprise.
Nyusi declared that the theme of the four day meeting “Defence Sector Focused on Planning for Capacities, towards Modernisation of the FADM” is in line with assumptions for the sector, adapting to the dynamics of the threats to global security.
The meeting, Nyusi declared, must also address and decide realistically on the right steps to take towards the modernisation and professionalisation of the defence sector, following attentively technological evolution, which must serve as the cornerstone to future projects.
“Modernisation must attach priority to quality and not mere quantity,” Nyusi stated, urging the high-ranking officers at the meeting to check whether the current personnel structure is in accordance with the profile necessary for recruitment and training.
The FADM, Nyusi stated, must respect human rights and also protect children so that they are not recruited and conscripted as soldiers. “Our army should not be characterised by acts of corruption or of extortion,” he urged.
Nyusi reaffirmed appeals for unity in the fight against terrorism, which can only be defeated if there is unity among Mozambicans, and if the world unites against this threat.
“We must not allow this evil to thrive and spread across the country”, the President warned.
The cooperation with the troops of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and of Rwanda is fundamental, he added. He claimed this alliance is making Mozambique a role model for bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the fight against terrorism
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