Politics

South Africa, Mozambique declare plans to strengthen relations, regional peace

Published

1 year ago

March 12, 2022

South African President Ramaphosa and his Mozambican counterpart, President Filipe Nyusi have had discussions on strengthening bi-lateral relations and regional security at the just concluded SA-Mozambique Bi-National Commission in Pretoria.

The southern Africa neighbours also spoke about the insurgency in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, as well as cyclone Gombe which is battering the north of the country.

“…the crisis you are confronting in Cabo Delgado is no different. We will face it together, with the same determination, certain that the forces of democracy and peace will be victorious”

Ramaphoza reiterated that “Mozambique remains one of South Africa’s top trading partners in the region, and there are several opportunities for expansion”

South Africa is keen, in particular, to expand cooperation in the energy sector with Mozambique being endowed with significant volumes of natural gas.

“Energy security is vital to economic growth in our respective countries, and we look forward to significant progress towards securing and sustaining our energy needs” Ramaphosa said.

The two leaders discussed ways of strengthening political, economic and investment relations as well as the implementation of the over 70 bilateral agreements.

President Ramaphosa said they have tasked deputy ministers from their foreign departments to meet regularly to ensure the implementation of their agreements.

“One of the most outstanding aspects of our meeting today is that we are going to on a six-monthly track the progress that we are making in implementing the agreements that we have reached here today.

Our deputy ministers will fold their arm sleeves to make sure on a continuous basis, we implement the agreements that we have reached so that they do not stay on our shelves and make sure that indeed the projects and interventions that are going to form part of enriching this relationship are indeed followed and are implemented.”

For Filipe Nyusi, President of Mozambique, this was a welcome development. “We accept this support, but understand that you can’t fight terrorism in an isolated form. This fact is borne out by the results on the ground even though sporadic attacks have persisted. The reduction in terrorist attacks confirms the old truth that united we are stronger.”

Also discussed was intentions to be supportive in matters of international relations. “Our countries share similar views on the need to reform the United Nations Security Council, to make it an organ that is representative and where the African continent can have a voice”

“South Africa fully supports Mozambique’s candidature for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council”

“Together with South Africa’s tenure in the AU Peace and Security Council, this will provide an opportunity for our countries to further cement cooperation between the two Councils, especially in the area of financing peace support operations”

Related Topics:Featured Mozambique South Africa

Click to comment

Politics

Opposition party wins majority seats in Guinea Bissau’s parliament

Published

16 hours ago

June 9, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

After a thirteen months break in Guinea-Bissau’s parliament, the opposition coalition has won majority seats after the legislative elections held on Sunday.

Over 20 political parties and coalitions, including the former ruling PAIGC party and its rival MADEM G15, presented candidates for various constituencies across the country.

According to official results, the PAI Terra Ranka coalition, led by the former ruling PAIGC party, won 54 of 102 seats in Sunday’s poll, while the ruling Madem G15, won 28 seats.

The development alters the planned constitutional reforms of President Embalo which would have allowed him to consolidate power by ridding the country of its semi-presidential system.

Under the current political system, the majority party or coalition appoints the government but the president has the authority to dismiss it in certain circumstances, a situation that has led to political gridlock and infighting in the past.

The political stability of the country has been consistently threatened by military incursions with successful and failed coup attempts. The latest was in February 2022 when gunmen stormed a government compound where President Embalo was holding a cabinet meeting, in an attempt to stage a coup.

Politics

Algeria, Sierra Leone get non-permanent seat at UN Security Council

Published

3 days ago

June 7, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

Algeria and Sierra Leone, have been elected as non-permanent members of the the United Nations’ Security Council for 2024-2025.

The two countries are part of the ten countries elected for two years in the Council outside the five power bloc countries— the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom.

The countries replace Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates and will join Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland who were elected last year.

For Sierra Leone, it’s a return to the council after 53 years. Its Foreign Minister, David Francis said it was “a great day for this small, progressive and confident country…which has successfully transitioned from war to peace.”

Guyana and South Korea were also elected unchallenged while Slovenia handily beat Belarus for the only contested seat.

An official of rights agency, Human Rights Watch, Louis Charbonneau remarked that “the vote in the General Assembly shows why a competition for UN elections is essential” after Slovenia edged Belarus for the seat going to Eastern Europe and obtained 153 votes, against 38 in Belarus.

“UN member states have undoubtedly decided that Belarus’ grave human rights violations at home and attempts to cover up Russian atrocities in Ukraine disqualify it from serving on the Security Council, a crucial body for ensuring human rights. humans,” he added.

Algeria got 184 votes, South Korea 180 votes, Sierra Leone 188 votes and Guyana 191 in a single candidate votes for four seat reserved for Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America/Caribbean.

There has been a long debate about the place of Africa in international relations. At the inception of the United Nations, only four independent African countries represented the continent when 50 representatives of different countries met in San Francisco, California, in 1945 to complete the Charter of the United Nations.