Former liberation movements stress economic cooperation

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi

Speaking at a press conference on Friday evening, in his capacity as President of Mozambique’s ruling Frelimo Party, Filipe Nyusi said the summit concluded that the desired well-being and stability could only be achieved by promoting economic development.

“We have to continue implementing the agreements already signed”, said Nyusi. “And we need to establish partnerships”.

In the political area, the summit noted with satisfaction that democracy today is generalised in the southern African region, and there is increasing respect for universal principles.

“We analysed the way in which elections have taken place, in the search for solutions to always do things better”, Nyusi said. “We need to be respected as countries and as peoples”.

At the summit, the former liberation movements called for a common school, open to all, to be set up in Tanzania, the country which had hosted the liberation movements during their struggles against colonialism and apartheid. Among other subjects, that school would teach the history of the liberation struggles.

The meeting condemned the kidnapping and murder of albino citizens, and stressed the need for coordinated actions across the region to protect albinos, and to halt the spread of crimes against them.

In the past, the objective of the liberation movements was “to free the land and the people”, said Nyusi. “Today the goal is to fight for a decent life”.

The summit was attended by six liberation movements that are now ruling parties – Frelimo (Mozambique), MPLA (Angola), ANC (South Africa), SWAPO (Namibia), Chama Cha Mapinduzi (Tanzania) and ZANU-PF (Zimbabwe).