7 September 2008
Mbabane — Mozambican President Armando Guebuza met on Saturday with the Unites States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Jendayi Frazer, in the Swazi capital, Mbabane.
Guebuza was in Swaziland to attend celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the country's independence, which coincide with the 40th birthday of its absolute ruler, King Mswati III.
After the meeting Frazer told reporters that the US is willing to provide technical assistance for elections in Mozambique. 2009 will see the country's fourth multi-party presidential and parliamentary elections
"The government of the United States is prepared to give technical assistance, not only to Mozambique, but to other African countries, but this all depends on what the real needs of these countries are", she said.
The meeting in Mbabane was the continuation of discussions Guebuza and Frazer held recently in the Tanzanian city of Arusha, on the regional agenda of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Frazer's southern African visit also included Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Initially, she had intended to visit Mozambique too, but instead used the opportunity of Guebuza's attendance at the Swazi celebrations to meet with him in Mbabane, in his capacity as deputy chair of the SADC Organ on Political, Defence and Security Cooperation. This body is currently chaired by Mswati and will hold a full meeting in Swaziland next week.
Flamboyant celebrations of the two anniversaries went ahead in Mbabane on Saturday, despite protests against the monarchy and against the cost of living, and despite the two bombs that exploded in Mbabane on Friday.
Guebuza was among nine African heads of state who attended the celebrations. Another honoured guest was Vincent Siew, deputy president of a country that still calls itself the "Republic of China" but is known to the rest of the world as Taiwan. Swaziland is one of just four African states that recognise Taiwan (the others are Burkina Faso, Gambia and Sao Tome and Principe).
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