Peacebuilding Commission
Mozambique’s Experience in Peacebuilding: Lessons Learned and Challenges Ahead
29 March 2023
Statement of Italy delivered by the Deputy Permanent Representative, Ambassador Gianluca Greco
Thank you so much to the briefers.
We are honored by President Nyusi’s personal engagement with the Peacebuilding Commission and we truly appreciate Mozambique’s initiative to share its national experience on achieving peace and stability.
Italy enjoys a long-standing partnership with Mozambique. To this day, we are extremely proud of having hosted the signature of the General Peace Accord in Rome in 1992, even though it was just the first step of a long process.
Italy also strongly supports as an EU member the implementation of the Maputo Accord for Peace and National Reconciliation of 2019, also through a direct contribution to the UNOPS multi-donor basket fund.
As it has already been mentioned, Italy’s contribution to the peacebuilding efforts of Mozambique has been fruitful because it relied on a successful, nationally led process. This demonstrates that international cooperation can bring added value only if it takes into account ownership as a prerequisite for every multilateral and bilateral initiative.
It’s not by chance that during the last visit of President Sergio Mattarella to Mozambique, a multiannual programming document was signed to further align development cooperation initiatives financed by Italy with the priorities of the Government of Mozambique.
The consolidation of a peaceful and prosperous Mozambique has brought important dividends to the Southern African region and – to an extent that should not be undervalued – to the entire African Continent and the rest of the world. We should therefore cherish the accomplishment of Mozambique and give continuity to international support. Please count on Italy for that.
If there was more time, I would have liked to ask to the Mozambique authorities how the Peacebuilding commission and the EU system could have helped further fight the terroristic activities in the north of Mozambique. We will have other occasions.
I thank you.
