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Secretary-General Meets Mozambican Leaders

13 January 2005

President Joaquim Chissano and President-elect Armando Guebuza
President-elect Armando Guebuza and President Joaquim Chissano

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Don McKinnon, called on outgoing President Joaquim Chissano and President-elect Armando Guebuza during his visit to Mozambique on 11 January 2005. He also met with Opposition leader Afonso Dhlakama and the President of the National Electoral Commission, Rev Dr Arão Litsure.

Discussions focused on the Commonwealth's future programme of technical assistance to Mozambique, which marks the tenth anniversary of its membership of the Commonwealth this year. The Secretary-General offered the assistance of the Commonwealth to strengthen the electoral arrangements in accordance with the recommendations of the Commonwealth Observer Group and Expert Team which were present for last month's parliamentary and presidential elections.

Mr McKinnon said: "Mozambique has been an enthusiastic and active Commonwealth member since it joined our organisation ten years ago. From my discussions in Maputo, it is clear that Mozambique's commitment to the Commonwealth and its values remains firm. In particular, there is recognition of the importance of strong and inclusive democratic institutions. There is also a clear need for further technical assistance to develop skills and capacity. The Commonwealth will continue to play its part as an active and trusted partner to support Mozambique's development priorities in the years ahead."

The Commonwealth is currently providing assistance to Mozambique through the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation (CFTC). One CFTC project is the development of affordable public housing which also, as an added benefit, creates employment opportunities for young people.

Another CFTC programme involving the development of economic and natural resource management for Mozambique's aquaculture industry will be launched in February this year. This will be followed by a tourism marketing plan in early 2005. Ongoing CFTC technical assistance to Mozambique includes a project on maritime boundaries delimitation, as well as debt management advisory services in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Mozambique.

To help the Government build up its capacity in public service, the Commonwealth Secretariat launched in 2004 a four-month attachment programme at its headquarters in London, UK, for Mozambican government officials to gain additional experience in international co-operation and development. While in Maputo, the Secretary-General met with some past participants of the programme as well as four new participants who are scheduled to arrive at the Secretariat on 15 January 2005. The Secretariat is also providing English language training programmes to Mozambican officials in the Portuguese-speaking country.

Mozambique is the newest of the 53-member Commonwealth, having joined at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1995. The country has received more than £1 million in CFTC assistance in the last five years.

 

CNIS - the Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 217  12 January 2005

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