AfricaPress-mozambique: Mozambique said yesterday during a ministerial session of the SADC-European Union political dialogue that peace and security were crucial to the development and integration of countries in the SADC region, and asked Portugal to help lift economic sanctions against Zimbabwe.
It was as president of SADC and of the European Union respectively that Mozambique and Portugal held a virtual meeting on Wednesday (16-06) in which the two countries, represented by their foreign affairs ministers, discussed security issues, the Covid-19 pandemic and development.
On the occasion, Verónica Macamo laid out the bloc’s vision of peace.
“Peace and security remain at the centre of our regional strategic plan, defined as prerequisite for creating an environment conducive to economic growth capable of driving the acceleration of regional integration. In this context, it is important that this dialogue also deals with the strengthening of our cooperation in the areas of peace and security, as part of the reinforcement of regional integration,” she said.
As current president of the SADC, Mozambique thanked the European Union for its efforts to bring Covid-19 immunization to the region.
“The role played by the European Union, through the COVAX Mechanism, in ensuring equitable access to vaccines against Covid- 19 deserves our recognition. We are confident that there will be ongoing collaboration between the European Union and the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC-Africa) to ensure timely and safe delivery of vaccines to African populations, including the SADC region. Indeed, the immediate support of the European Union allowed SADC to quickly implement programmes to respond to the demands of the moment, redefining its priorities based on the flexibility granted by the European Union. In this context, it is essential that the exchanges of views, which we will maintain today, provide the necessary basis to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 and place our economies on the path of recovery and the creation of a dynamic of growth and sustainability,” Minister Macamo acknowledged.
On the occasion, Mozambique asked Portugal, as president of the European bloc, to help convince the countries of the European Union to lift sanctions against neighbouring Zimbabwe.
“This is, without a doubt, an excellent platform for exchanging views and agreeing positions on important aspects of our cooperation. It is for this reason that we deeply believe that this cooperation will be fluid and better strengthened, in a context where economic sanctions against an SADC member country, Zimbabwe, are lifted. It should be noted that we count on your support to achieve this desideratum,” Macamo said.
At the virtual meeting, Mozambique also made it known that the SADC has formulated its 2050 vision projecting a peaceful, industrialised region where all citizens enjoy sustainable economic well-being, justice and freedom.
