Maputo — Over 800 ex-combatants from Renamo, the largest opposition party in Mozambique, have been demobilised, over the last four weeks, which brings the total number to about 90 per cent of total disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration (DDR) beneficiaries.
In a statement issued this afternoon Mirko Manzoni, the personal envoy of United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, and head of the international contact group facilitating dialogue between the government and Renamo says that this led to closure of two additional Renamo bases in the districts of Mocuba and Sabe, located in the central province of Zambezia.
"The beneficiaries have embarked on their transition to civilian life in the comfort of family and community", reads the statement.
According to Manzoni, this continuation of steady progress on the process is highly encouraging.
"We commend the continued collaboration and commitment to dialogue demonstrated by the Government and Renamo in reaching yet another significant milestone in the implementation of the Maputo Accord for Peace and National Reconciliation", he added.
Manzoni explains that once more, the Military Affairs Commission and Joint Technical Groups exhibited true professionalism in managing the activities on the ground, further propelling Mozambique towards lasting peace and national reconciliation.
"As we approach the end of the demobilisation and disarmament phase, we are committed to ensuring the remaining combatants are reached and supported on their reintegration journey", says Manzoni.
He acknowledges that the effective reintegration of DDR beneficiaries into civilian life is critical to the sustainability of the process.
Therefore, Manzoni calls on all stakeholders to play a positive role in advancing peace in Mozambique.
He concludes his message saying that "The United Nations remains committed to supporting Mozambique as it continues on its path towards a prosperous future of sustainable peace and national reconciliation".
Last month Mozambican President, Filipe Nyusi, reiterated that the DDR would be concluded by the end of this year, a major step towards a lasting peace.
Constant talks between the government and Renamo, according to Nyusi, have contributed to build mutual trust. According to the President over the last 30 years Mozambicans have learned to live together, respecting political and ideological differences.
Sg (366)
*PRESIDENTIAL INITIATIVE TO REDUCE OVERCROWDING IN PRISONS LAUNCHED IN MAPUTO *
Maputo, 04 Nov (AIM) - Mozambican Head of State, Filipe Nyusi on Friday launched in Maputo a Presidential Initiative called ″One district, One prison Establishment", which seeks to decongest the prison system and make it more humane.
The existing prisons facilities were designed to accommodate about 8,000 inmates, but they are severely overcrowded and are now housing over 22 thousand inmates.
"This initiative stems from one of the competences of the new government to design public policies that promote re-socialisation and social reintegration of inmates," said Nyusi, addressing representatives of the country's Justice System that marked the Mozambique Legality Day.
Thus, the President added, as a way of decongesting provincial penitentiary establishments, there is a pressing need to build prison facilities at district level.
"We expect to build district penitentiary establishments with a capacity to accommodate around 250 prisoners and they may include fields for agro-livestock production to make them self-sufficient," he explained.
Through this initiative, the Mozambican government plans to build 63 district-level prison establishments across the country by the end of next year.
In another development, Nyusi said that the sector of the Justice Administration system should adopt measures to humanise sentences and improve the living standards of citizens deprived of their freedom.
He stressed that the vast family of professionals of the system of Administration of Justice know how to honour the good name of this important sector and welcomed the theme chosen for this year celebrations "Humanisation of Penalties as an Imperative of Human Dignity".
"Can't we adopt alternative measures to prison? Can't we favour extra-judicial initiatives such as community and arbitration tribunals?
Can't we speed up the process of legalising imprisonment?" he questioned, adding that the government has been granting pardons to citizens who were deprived of their freedom.
In his view, the prison system should only be designed for reintegration inmates into society, to ensure that a person who has already served his sentence does not re-offend.
"I challenge the justice system to adopt measures to humanise sentences and improve the condition of citizens deprived of their freedom. We have to change the paradigm from a society that punishes to one that re-socialises," he stressed.
*EUROPEAN UNION TO DISBURSE 15 MILLION EUROS TO BOOST FOOD PRODUCTION IN MOZAMBIQUE *
Maputo, 04 Nov (AIM) - The European Union (EU), in a partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Fund (FAO), on Friday pledged to disburse the sum of 15 million euros to mitigate the impact of high cost of food production and boost strategic food stocks in Mozambique.
To that end, the director of Mozambique Grain Institute (Instituto de Cereais de Moçambique/ICM) Mohamed Valá, and by the FAO representative, Hernani da Silva signed the Operationalization Agreement of the Food Reserve Project this Friday in Maputo that was witnessed by Industry and Trade Minister, Silvino Moreno.
"Mozambique will receive a total of 23 million euros for immediate food assistance of people in need and to stimulate sustainable national production. This sum is part of the 600 million euros granted by the European Union to the member countries of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACP). Of the 23 million, the European Union is channelling 15 million", said the EU Ambassador to Mozambique Antonino Maggiore.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The sum, according to Maggiore, aims at mitigating the impact of food cost and strengthening food reserves so that the country is properly prepared to respond to the current food security crisis.
"The objective is to support the production of 20,000 tons (16,000 tonnes of maize and 4,000 tonnes of beans), which is the total commercial demand of ICM", the ambassador said, adding that the current food crisis is aggravated by "Russia's aggression against Ukraine."
FAO's representative in Mozambique, Hernani da Silva, said the sum will strengthen grain reserves, mitigate food and nutrition insecurity among the most vulnerable populations.
"This funding will help reduce the risk of gains shortage and contribute help to stabilize food prices and reduce the risks of nutritional insecurity among the population, especially the most vulnerable", Da Silva said.
The FAO representative stresses that the funds will enable to strengthen national food reserves and increase nutritional resilience.
"For greater synergy and effectiveness, the activities will be anchored to the Agribiz program, which is being implemented across the country", Da Silva said, adding that current global food crisis is the most severe of the last 15 years.
Ad/ sg (368)
