ACTIVITIES OF SECRETARY-GENERAL IN MOZAMBIQUE, 29 AUGUST–1 SEPTEMBER
The Secretary-General arrived in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, in the morning of Thursday, 29 August. He was met at the airport by President Joachim Chissano, whose Government greeted the Secretary-General with a 19-gun salute.
From the airport, he went to Maputo’s Heroes Circle, where he laid a wreath at a memorial for the fallen heroes of the country’s independence movement.
After that, he received the keys to the city from Mayor Artur Canana. He responded by praising the citizens of Maputo for their courage during the independence struggle. See press release SG/SM/8350.
The Secretary-General then met with the United Nations country team, and focused in his talks with them on two key issues: the fight against HIV/AIDS and food distribution during the current drought.
Those two topics also came up when the Secretary-General held a formal meeting in the afternoon with President Chissano. After a one-on-one meeting, the two discussed AIDS and the drought, as well as other regional issues, while accompanied by their respective delegations.
President Chissano expressed his concerns about genetically modified food, and the Secretary-General assured him that all United Nations-distributed food was certified for its health and nutritional aspects and that the United Nations would not distribute any food that was deemed to be harmful.
They also discussed the political process in Mozambique. The Secretary-General noted that the President would not seek another term, and said neighbouring countries would watch the elections scheduled for next year with interest. He offered the United Nations’ help in facilitating those elections, if needed.
At a press encounter afterwards, the Secretary-General was asked about Zimbabwe’s land reform programme, and he responded that, while land reform was necessary in that country, “I don’t think the approach of the Government is the right one”. He added, “The best way to proceed with such land reforms is to have a credible plan based on the rule of law.” Once that happens, he said, he was sure that Zimbabwe would receive the international support that it needs.
Asked about the most urgent needs for Africa, the Secretary-General pointed to the need for peace and for efforts to fight AIDS, which he said was “destroying the continent”.
The Secretary-General then visited the Mozarte Youth Training Centre, where Mozambican teenagers enacted a mime performance about AIDS. The Secretary-General later asked the youths how many of them knew friends or relatives with HIV, and half of the teenagers raised their hands.
The Secretary-General then met with the country’s civil society leaders, whom he reminded that for the United Nations to succeed in any endeavour, “partnership with civil society is not an option -– it is a necessity”. (See Press Release SG/SM/8366.)
On Thursday afternoon, he met with Afonso Dhlakama, the leader of the opposition, before attending a State banquet in his honour hosted by President Chissano. At that dinner, the Secretary-General said he was moved by his first visit to the country as Secretary-General, which coincided with the tenth anniversary of Mozambique’s peace agreement. He said, Mozambique’s hard-won stability provides an example to every nation striving to rebuild after conflict and turmoil, not least in the African continent. You have shown that it can be done.”
He said that Mozambique will be remembered as a success story, in United Nations peacekeeping and peace-making, in humanitarian and electoral assistance, and in the climate of trust generated there since the war. He said its success is “the best possible antidote to the skeptics and cynics about Africa”. (See Press Release SG/SM/8352.)
The Secretary-General remained in Mozambique over the weekend, taking some private time before leaving on Sunday for Johannesburg, South Africa, where he would open the high-level segment of the World Summit on Sustainable Development on Monday, 1 September.