Mediators meet with Renamo delegation

The purpose of the meeting was to assess the party’s current position on the first item on the agenda in the discussions in the Joint Commission (which is composed of six representatives from the government and six from Renamo).

This is the demand by Renamo that it rules in the provinces where it claims to have won the 2014 elections. Mozambique has eleven provinces and Renamo wants to take power in the central and northern provinces of Manica, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia, Nampula, and Niassa.

The dialogue in the Joint Commission in the presence of the mediators began on 20 July but has not managed to get past this point. Therefore, the mediators requested separate meetings with the two teams. However, on Tuesday only the government delegation turned up.

According to the daily newspaper “Noticias”, the mediators were also expecting to meet with the Renamo delegation to receive a document outlining its position on the claim over the six provinces.

This meeting took place on Wednesday, after which Renamo spokesperson Jose Manteigas told reporters that “the conversations about the six provinces have started but there is still no conclusion”.

Manteigas repeated the Renamo demand that it must rule in the six provinces and that members of its armed wing be integrated into the national army. Other demands include separation between the public administration and political parties.

Not all of the mediators attended the opening of the talks. However, the full list of mediators is: Ketumile Masire (Global Leadership Foundation); Jakaya Kikwete (Tanzania); Ibrahim Msambaho (Tanzania); Angelo Romano (European Union); Mario Raffaelli (European Union); Sir Robin Christopher (Global Leadership Foundation); Jonathan Powell (Inter Mediate); Thanduyise Chiliza (South Africa), Mandlenkosi Memela, and George Johannes (deputy representatives for South Africa); Edgar Pena Parra (Apostolic Nuncio to Mozambique); Joao Carlos Hatoa Nunes (secretary of the Mozambique Episcopal Conference); the Ambassador of the European Union; and Mandisi Mpahlwa (the South African High Commissioner).