List of mediators complete: Holy See appoints Nuncio and Bishop João Carlos Nunes, Blair sends Powell, Zuma names ambassador

The Holy See yesterday appointed the Apostolic Nuncio, Monsignor Edgar Pena Parra and the Secretary of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique, Bishop João Carlos Hatoa Nunes, as its representatives in Mozambique’s forthcoming peace dialogue.

nyusi dhlakama3Monsignor José Luis Serrano, secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature (Vatican embassy in Maputo), told Notícias that these names had been put forward in response to President Filipe Nyusi’s invitation to the Catholic Church for it to join the group of international facilitators in the political dialogue aimed at restoring peace.

The Holy See’s appointments complete the list of mediators sought from international organisations by the government and Renamo.

Former Botswanan head of state Quett Masire, representing the mediation body set up by former US Undersecretary of State for African Affairs, Chester Crocker, arrived in Maputo last weekend.

Jonathan Powell, representing the former British prime minister Tony Blair’s Faith Foundation, was expected in Maputo yesterday.

Powell will shortly be joined by former president of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikweti, who will have to interrupt his stay to attend a Chama Cha Mapinduzi party-political congress but will be represented in his absence by a senior official from his office.

The group proposed by the Mozambican government will join that suggested by Renamo which includes, besides the representatives of the Catholic church, Mario Raffaelli and Father Angelo Romano from the Community of Sant’Egidio, representing the European Union, and an ambassador representing South African president Jacob Zuma.

The Joint Commission tasked with preparing a meeting between President Nyusi and Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama will announce the terms of reference of the group of international mediators soon.

From then on, the mediators will take an active part in the work of the Joint Committee, which has already agreed the agenda points for the Nyusi-Dhlakama summit. These are: the government by Renamo of the six provinces where it claims to have won the general elections of 2014; the Defence and Security Forces; and the disarmament of the main opposition party and the integration of its armed men into the Defence and Security Forces.

The Joint Commission currently includes Jacinto Veloso, Benvinda Levi, Alves Muteque. António Hama Tai, Edmundo Galiza Matos Júnior and Alfredo Gamito (from the government’s side), and José Manteigas, Eduardo Namburete, André Magibire, Jeremias Pondeca, Maria Joaquina Inácio and Leovegildo Buanacasso (from Renamo’s side).

Source: Notícias

Post published in: Africa News

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