Mozambique: Catholic University commemorates 30th anniversary of the peace accords.

Rogério Maduca - Rádio Pax, Mozambique

The International Conference, organised by the Catholic University of Mozambique (UCM), occurred at UCM’s Faculty of Social and Political Sciences in Quelimane, central Mozambique.

The Rome General Peace Accords, officially the General Peace Accords, was a peace treaty signed between the government of Mozambique and RENAMO, ending the Mozambican Civil War on 4 October 1992. Negotiations preceding the agreement began in July 1990.

Everyone should be a peacemaker

In his opening address, the Rector of UCM, Prof. Father Filipe Sungo, recalled that since the Rome General Peace Accords, aimed at restoring peace in Mozambique, there had since been two other peace agreements. These are the 5 September 2014 accord and the agreement of 6 August 2019. Prof Sungo suggested that more dialogue needed to happen before victory over conflict could be declared. He invited participants to reflect on all agreements as a whole.

In his speech, the Bishop of the Diocese of Quelimane, Hilário da Cruz Massinga, OFM, said that all Mozambicans needed to consider themselves builders of peace.

Citizenship, peace and security.

The International Conference on the 30th anniversary of the general peace agreements in Mozambique had three panels, where several national and foreign speakers addressed issues related to citizenship, peace and security. More than 200 participants were present, with representatives drawn from the country’s political parties, the academic community, and civil society.