The Mozambican government expressed its gratitude today (10) for the support given to the country in the fight against terrorism.
The sentiment was expressed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Verónica Macamo, at the ceremonies marking the launch of the week commemorating the 44th anniversary of SADC Day, which will take place on 17 August.
The event is being celebrated under the slogan “SADC: the challenge of transforming the informal market to facilitate trade and the well-being of the population”, and the SADC 44th Anniversary Commemorative Week has been launched.
“We would like to express our deep gratitude to our sister SADC countries for sending the SADC Mission to Mozambique as a regional response in support of the Republic of Mozambique in the fight against terrorism in some districts of Cabo Delgado Province,” said Macamo.
She explained that the mission culminated in remarkable progress, citing as examples the elimination of all terrorist bases, the return of displaced people to their areas of origin, the resumption of economic activities, the restoration of access routes, and the improvement of the Cabo Delgado security situation.
Mozambique’s recognition is extended to the SADC ambassadors and high commissioners accredited to Mozambique for their visits to Cabo Delgado, to encourage the SAMIM contingent and support the government’s efforts to combat terrorism and provide aid to the displaced.
For this reason, said Macamo, “we have no words to express exactly how grateful we are for the valuable contribution of SAMIM and the SADC member states in the fight against terrorism in Mozambique”.
“SADC’s contribution has been and will continue to be appreciated by all Mozambicans and all peace-loving people,” he added.
The SADC Military Mission to Mozambique (SAMIM) arrived in the country in July 2021 and officially ended its mission on 15 July this year
It should be noted that terrorist attacks have already killed 3,000 people and forced more than a million to seek refuge in safer places.
Macamo gave a brief history, explaining that SADC was born as the Southern African Development Coordination Conference on 1 April 1980 in Lusaka, the Zambian capital at the time, with nine members, namely Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland – now Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
On 17 August 1992, SADC was transformed into the Southern African Development Community in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. The organisation has grown and today has 16 members because other states joined after 1980, including Namibia in 1992; South Africa (1994); Mauritius (1995); Seychelles (1997); the Democratic Republic of Congo (1998), Madagascar (2005) and Comoros (2017).
In another development, Macamo made a point of recalling that next Monday (12) the world celebrates International Youth Day
Macamo took the opportunity to urge all countries to continue integrating young people into political, economic and socio-cultural life.
“We must continue to empower our young people in all areas,” he said.
The event, which took place in the district of Marracuene, in the southern province of Maputo, was attended by members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Mozambique, among other guests.
AIM
