Maputo Accord

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Maputo Accord
Maputo Accord for Peace and National Reconciliation
TypePeace treaty
Context RENAMO insurgency (2013–2021)
Signed6 August 2019
LocationMaputo, Mozambique
Mediators Mirko Manzoni, Neha Sanghrajka, Jonathan Powell
Signatories Filipe Nyusi (President of Mozambique)
Ossufo Momade (Leader of Renamo)
PartiesFlag of Mozambique.svg  Mozambique
Mz renamo3.PNG RENAMO

The Maputo Accord, officially the Maputo Accord for Peace and National Reconciliation, is a peace agreement between the Government of Mozambique and Renamo, signed on 6 August 2019, with the aim of bringing definitive peace to Mozambique. [1] The agreement was signed by the President of the Republic of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, and the leader of Renamo, Ossufo Momade, in Maputo, and was the result of years of negotiations. [2]  It was preceded by the signing of the Agreement on the Definitive Cessation of Military Hostilities, on 1 August 2019, in Gorongosa. [3]

Contents

The Maputo Accord commits both parties to put an end to all political and military hostilities and to implement, in full, the legislative package on decentralisation. [4] It further commits to the complete disarmament, demobilisation, and subsequent socio-economic reintegration of Renamo’s former combatants [5] and includes provisions for the placement of former combatants in the Mozambique Armed Defence Forces (FADM) structure and in the units of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM). [6]

Background

Peace negotiations began in December 2016 when President Filipe Nyusi indicated his willingness to engage in direct dialogue with the then leader of Renamo, the late Afonso Dhlakama, in order to resolve tensions that resulted in armed violent conflict restarting in 2013. [7] The Principals launched the National Peace Process in March 2017 and established two commissions to support in resolving key issues related to decentralisation and military affairs (see Implementation Structures below) [8] A Contact Group, chaired by then Swiss Ambassador to Mozambique, Mirko Manzoni (later appointed the United Nations Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Mozambique [9] ), was formed to coordinate the international community’s support. [8] A Secretariat was also established in early 2017 to support the process. [10]

Agreements

Over the course of the peace negotiations, President Nyusi met with Afonso Dhlakama, and his successor Ossufo Momade, on several occasions, [11] [12] [13] reaching consensus on several key issues:

Mozambique's parliament approving a revision to the constitution to deepen decentralisation on 23 May 2018 DecentralisationMozambique.jpg
Mozambique's parliament approving a revision to the constitution to deepen decentralisation on 23 May 2018

On 23 May 2018, Mozambique’s parliament unanimously approved a revision of the constitution to deepen decentralisation as part of the peace negotiations between the Government and Renamo. [14] The bill provides administrative and financial autonomy for municipal, provincial and district bodies, while issues of national interest such as defence, security and natural resources will continue to be managed at the central level. [15]

On 6 August 2018, President Nyusi and the leader of Renamo, Ossufo Momade, signed a MoU on Military Affairs. The MoU, the first nationally and jointly agreed DDR agreement since the signing of the peace accord in 1992, outlined the road map on military affairs and the subsequent steps crucial to achieving an effective and lasting peace in Mozambique. [16] Following the signing, President Nyusi said “the memorandum clearly outlines the roadmap for military affairs, the subsequent and decisive steps towards achieving an effective and lasting peace with regard to the disarmament, demobilisation and integration of Renamo’s armed wing”. [17] Chief Mediator, Mirko Manzoni, who was a witness for the occasion, said that “there has been remarkable progress in the peace process and the Mozambicans should be proud”. [17]

On 1 August 2019, President Filipe Nyusi and the leader of Renamo Ossufo Momade signed the Agreement on the Definitive Cessation of Military Hostilities in Gorongosa National Park. [18] The agreement builds on the MoU on Military Affairs signed in August 2018, with both parties reaffirming their desire to see a future of peace and reconciliation in Mozambique and prioritization of dialogue as a means for settling grievances. [19]

On 6 August 2019, President Filipe Nyusi and the leader of Renamo Ossufo Momade, signed the Maputo Accord for Peace and National Reconciliation in Maputo. [20] The occasion was witnessed by Namibia's President-in-Office of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Hage Geingob, the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, Former Presidents of Mozambique (Joaquim Chissano) and Tanzania (Jakaya Kikwete), the President of the Contact Group (Mirko Manzoni) and the Representative of Sant’Egidio Community (Matteo Zuppi). [2]

The Accord consists of the Agreement on the Definitive Cessation of Military Hostilities signed on 1 August 2019 and outlines the structures for the implementation of the Accord. The Accord commits both parties to put an end to all political and military hostilities and to implement, in full, the legislative package on decentralisation. It further commits to the complete disarmament, demobilisation and subsequent socio-economic reintegration of 5,221 former combatants of Renamo and includes provisions for the placement of former combatants in the Mozambique Armed Defence Forces (FADM) structure and in the units of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM). [21]

DDR activities resumed in central Mozambique in June 2020 and several Renamo bases have now been closed. [22] As of December 2021, 63% of the 5,221 former combatants have been disarmed and demobilised. [23]

Implementation structures

Since the start of the peace negotiations in 2016, the Principals – President Nyusi, and the leaders of Renamo, the late Afonso Dhlakama and his successor Ossufo Momade, have jointly agreed the implementation structures to support the different phases of the process.

Phase I:

  1. A Commission on Decentralisation was established to design a proposal for a new framework for decentralisation. The Commission made proposals related to the election of governors and the model of allocation of revenues among other issues. The Commission comprised members of both Government and Renamo.
  2. A Commission on Military Affairs was established to work on the creation of non-partisan security services along with an effective DDR process. The Commission comprised members of both Government and Renamo.
  3. A Joint Monitoring and Verification Team was established to oversee adherence to the ceasefire and investigate reports of conflicts as a confidence building measure. The JMVT comprised members of both Government and Renamo.
  4. A Contact Group was formed and tasked with providing coordinated financial and technical assistance to the process. The contact group was made up of the Ambassadors of Switzerland, US, China, Norway, Botswana, Great Britain and the EU.

With a national structure in place, the process made significant advances including an indefinite truce which was announced in May 2017. [24] This was a significant confidence building measure which built trust between both Parties. Within one year, an agreement was reached on one of the key issues of decentralisation, which led to a revision of the constitution in May 2018. [25]

Phase 2:

With progress made on decentralisation, the peace process moved to its next phase, with the focus on military affairs. On 6 August 2018, the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Military Affairs, committed both Government and Renamo to advance on the central issue of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR). The Principals agreed to a similar structure to support implementation of the agreement. It had the following key components:

  1. The Military Affairs Commission (MAC) has the overall responsibility to supervise and monitor the implementation of the DDR and Placement. The MAC comprises members of both Government and Renamo.
  2. The Joint Technical Group on Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (JTGDDR) comprising six national experts whose role is to provide technical assistance to the Technical Group, particularly, with regards to monitoring disarmament. The International Component, comprising military experts from nine countries (Argentina, Germany, India, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, Tanzania, United States, Zimbabwe), was formed to support the work of the JTGDDR.
  3. The Joint Technical Group on Monitoring and Verification are responsible for the monitoring and verification of DDR processes.
  4. The Joint Technical Group on Placement (JTGP) in the FADM, which comprises two officers from each Party, appointed by the two Principals.

Phase 3 (Post-conflict):

Following the signing of the Maputo Accord for Peace and National Reconciliation on 6 August 2019, thee Principals agreed to put in place additional structures to support the ongoing work of the DDR structures put in place during phase 2:

  1. United Nations Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General (PESG) for Mozambique: On 8 July 2019, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, appointed Mirko Manzoni of Switzerland as his Personal Envoy for Mozambique. [26] In this role, Manzoni provides good offices support in facilitating the continued dialogue between the Government of Mozambique and Renamo, and the implementation of the Maputo Accord. This appointment ensures continuity between the different phases of the peace process. [27]
  2. Contact Group: The PESG will continue to chair the previously established Contact Group.
  3. Secretariat: The Secretariat provides technical and administrative support to the Parties in the implementation of the Agreement. The Secretariat is also responsible for providing logistical support to the whole process and manage the Basket Fund to Support the Implementation of the Agreement.
  4. Board: The Board comprises the PESG, a representative of the United Nations Office of Project Services, and a representative of the donors. The Board is responsible for guiding the Secretariat in the performance of its functions.
  5. Basket Fund to Support the Implementation of the Agreement: A Basket Fund was established for the international community to channel financial support to the implementation of the Maputo Accord. The Basket Fund is jointly managed by the Secretariat and UNOPS. As of June 2021, donors to the basket fund include Switzerland, Sweden, the European Union, Norway, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Finland, the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, and Botswana. [27]

Gender mainstreaming

The implementation of the Maputo Accord is guided by relevant national and international frameworks that cover women, peace and security interventions, such as the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, adopted unanimously in 2000, and the National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace and Security (2018-2022) which is aligned with the objectives of the Southern African Development Community Regional Strategy on Women, Peace and Security (2018-2022). [28] Out of the 5,221 ex-combatants that will go through the DDR process, 257 are women.

In line with the UN Secretary General’s commitment and strategy to achieving gender parity across the UN system, [29] 48% of the staff at the Peace Process Secretariat are women, with 71% female representation on the senior management team.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Mozambique</span> Political system of Mozambique

Politics in Mozambique takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Mozambique is head of state and head of government in a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Assembly of the Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RENAMO</span> Mozambican political party

RENAMO is a Mozambican political party and militant group. The party was founded with the active sponsorship of the Rhodesian Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) in May 1977 from anti-communist dissidents opposed to Mozambique's ruling FRELIMO party. RENAMO was initially led by André Matsangaissa, a former senior official in FRELIMO's armed wing, and was composed of several anti-communist dissident groups which appeared immediately prior to, and shortly following, Mozambican independence. Matsangaissa, who died in 1979, was succeeded by Afonso Dhlakama, who led the organization until his death in 2018. He was succeeded by Ossufo Momade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Operation in Mozambique</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afonso Dhlakama</span> Mozambican politician (1953–2018)

Afonso Marceta Macacho Dhlakama was a Mozambican politician and the leader of RENAMO, an anti-communist guerrilla movement that fought the FRELIMO government in the Mozambican Civil War before signing a peace agreement and becoming an opposition political party in the early 1990s. Dhlakama was born in Mangunde, Sofala Province.

The Rome General Peace Accords, officially the General Peace Accords, was a peace treaty signed between the government of Mozambique and RENAMO, ending the Mozambican Civil War on October 4, 1992. Negotiations preceding the agreement began in July 1990. They were brokered by a team of four mediators, two members of the Community of Sant'Egidio, Andrea Riccardi and Matteo Zuppi, as well as Bishop Jaime Gonçalves and Italian government representative Mario Raffaelli. The delegation of the Mozambican government was headed by Armando Guebuza, who went on to become President of Mozambique. The RENAMO delegation consisted of Raul Domingos, José de Castro, Vicente Ululu, Agostinho Murrial, João Almirante, José Augusto and Anselmo Victor. The accords were then signed by the then-president of Mozambique Joaquim Chissano, and by the leader of RENAMO, Afonso Dhlakama.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">RENAMO insurgency (2013–2021)</span> Guerrilla war in Mozambique

The RENAMO insurgency was a guerrilla campaign by militants of the RENAMO party and one of its splinter factions in Mozambique. The insurgency was widely considered to be an aftershock of the Mozambican Civil War; it resulted in renewed tensions between RENAMO and Mozambique's ruling FRELIMO coalition over charges of state corruption and the disputed results of the 2014 general elections.

Gilles Cistac was a French-Mozambican lawyer specialised in constitutional law. He was shot and killed and political motives were suspected. The RENAMO party organised protests.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ossufo Momade</span> Mozambican general and politician (RENAMO)

Ossufo Momade is a Mozambican politician. He has served as president of the Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO), the main opposition party of Mozambique since January 17, 2019. He assumed the presidency of the party after the death of its leader Afonso Dhlakama in May 2018 on an interim basis until he was elected president of the party at an internal congress held at the beginning of the following year. On August 1, 2019, Momade agreed to renounce violence and signed a peace agreement with Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi at RENAMO's remote military base in the Gorongosa mountains. This agreement resulted in the last remaining members of the RENAMO insurgency surrendering their weapons. A second signing ceremony then took place in Mapotu's Peace Square, which result in Momade declaring that he and members of RENAMO would now focus on "maintaining peace and national reconciliation."

The following is a timeline of events during the Mozambican Civil War as well as subsequent RENAMO insurgency (2013–2021).

References

  1. ↑ "Welcoming Signing of Peace Agreement in Mozambique, Secretary-General Applauds Commitment on Both Sides to Finalizing Peace Process | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  2. 1 2 "Mozambique rivals sign 'historic' final peace deal". South China Morning Post. 2019-08-07. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  3. ↑ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Mozambique political leaders sign peace pact | DW | 01.08.2019". DW.COM. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  4. ↑ "Mozambique's New Peace Accord Will Soon Be Put to the Test". www.worldpoliticsreview.com. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  5. ↑ "U.S. Embassy Statement on the Peace Process in Mozambique". U.S. Embassy in Mozambique. 2019-06-03. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  6. ↑ Vines, Alex. "As Perspectivas de um Acordo Sustentável entre as Elites em Moçambique À Terceira é de Vez?" (PDF). Chatham House - the Royal Institute of International Affairs.
  7. ↑ editor, Moz. "Nyusi invites Dhlakama to dialogue, appoints Veloso, Levi and Muteque to prepare meeting". Mozambique. Retrieved 2021-05-26.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. 1 2 editor, Moz. "Nyusi appoints "Contact Group" for peace talks". Mozambique. Retrieved 2021-05-26.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  9. ↑ "Personal Envoy". United Nations Secretary-General. 2019-11-12. Retrieved 2021-06-10.
  10. ↑ "About – Maputo Accord" . Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  11. ↑ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Encontro entre Nyusi e Dhlakama é "passo importante" | DW | 07.08.2017". DW.COM. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  12. ↑ "Filipe Nyusi e Afonso Dhlakama encontram-se na Gorongosa". VOA (in Portuguese). 13 December 2017. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  13. ↑ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Nyusi e Momade anunciam novos avanços para paz em Moçambique | DW | 12.07.2018". DW.COM. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  14. ↑ mozambique. "Mozambique: Parliament waves through constitutional changes on decentralisation". Mozambique. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  15. ↑ "Constitution of the Republic" (PDF). Portal de Governo.
  16. ↑ https://maputoaccord.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MOU.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  17. 1 2 mozambique. "Mozambique: Chief of international mediators welcomes agreement on Renamo's disarmament". Mozambique. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  18. ↑ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Moçambique: Nyusi e Momade assinam acordo de paz na Gorongosa | DW | 01.08.2019". DW.COM. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  19. ↑ "Agreement on the Definitive Cessation of Military Hostilities" (PDF). maputoaccord.org.
  20. ↑ "Government of Mozambique and opposition party Renamo sign peace agreement to end decades of fighting | HD Centre" . Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  21. ↑ "Maputo Accord for Peace and National Reconciliation" (PDF). maputoaccord.org.
  22. ↑ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Moçambique: Sob o signo da paz, DDR volta novamente à mesa de diálogo | DW | 05.06.2020". DW.COM. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  23. ↑ mozambique. "Mozambique: First Renamo military base in north now closed, 560 demobilised - UN". Mozambique. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
  24. ↑ "Mozambique rebel movement Renamo extends truce indefinitely". Reuters. 2017-05-04. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  25. ↑ "Congratulations on Parliamentary Approval of Constitutional Amendments on Decentralization". U.S. Embassy in Mozambique. 2018-05-25. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  26. ↑ "Personal Envoy". United Nations Secretary-General. 2019-11-12. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  27. 1 2 "About – Maputo Accord" . Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  28. ↑ "Gender mainstreaming – Maputo Accord" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  29. ↑ "Gender Parity Strategy | United to Reform". reform.un.org. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
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