Joint Declaration

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Country/entity: Mozambique
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Joint Declaration
Date: 7 Aug 1992
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Mozambique Civil War (1976 – 1992) and RENAMO Insurgency (2012 – )
The Mozambique conflict has roots in the independence movement launched by the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) (est. 1962) against Portuguese colonization. Despite the insurgency, independence only came a year after a military coup d’état in Lisbon overthrew the longstanding ‘Estado Novo’ dictatorship. Nonetheless, FRELIMO installed itself as the ruling party and officially became a Marxist-Leninist party in 1977. Fierce fighting broke out in the Cold War context, between the FRELIMO, supported by the Soviet Bloc, and the anti-Communist Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) movement, which received funding from neighbouring ‘white’ regimes in Rhodesia and later on, South Africa. After the death of President Somaro Moises Machel in a plane crash in 1986, the presidency passed to Joaquim Alberto Chissano who encouraged political pluralism, particularly following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989. Following the Rome Peace Accords in 1992, FRELIMO won the country’s first multi-party election in 1994.

Political tensions began to rise after the 2002 presidential elections, which RENAMO argued were fraudulent. These continued until a low-level outbreak of violence by RENAMO fighters targeting police and economic infrastructure. A new peace accord was signed between RENAMO and FRELIMO in September 2014, but RENAMO’s later refusal to accept the terms of the 2014 Presidential election, as well as government difficulties in disarming RENAMO fighters led to a breakdown of the accord in August 2015. Since then, clashes have renewed between the two parties.
Stage: Pre-negotiation/process
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Mozambique process in the 90s
Parties: Joaquim Alberto Chissano, President of the Republic of Mozambique,
and Afonso Macacho Marceta Dhlakama, President of RENAMO,
Third parties: Signed by Mugabe, Zimbabwe; Witnesses: Botswana; Mediators: Mario Raffaelli, Jaime Goncalves, Andrea Riccardi, Matteo Zuppi (all signatories)
Description: Expressed commitment to guaranteeing conditions for complete political freedom and personal safety of all citizens and all members of political parties. Agreed to accepting the role of the international community in monitoring the implementation of the General Peace Agreement and to respecting the principles set forth in Protocol I.

Agreement document: MZ_920807_Joint Declaration.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: Page 2, (iii) To accept the role of the international community, particularly the United Nations, in monitoring and guaranteeing the implementation of the General Peace Agreement, particularly the cease-fire and the electoral process;
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: Governance→Political parties reform→Rebels transitioning to political parties
Page 2
Whereas Mr. Afonso Macacho Marceta Dhlakama declared his readiness to sign an immediate cease-fire if certain guarantees were provided and arrangements were made for the security of both himself and members of RENAMO, and if his party was given freedom to organize and campaign without interference or hindrance.
Considering his request for guarantees to enable RENAMO to operate freely as a political party after the signing of the General Peace Agreement,
Governance→Political parties reform→Other political parties reform
Page 2, (ii)
To guarantee the personal safety of all Mozambican citizens and all members of political parties.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: Governance→Constitution→Constitutional reform/making
Page 3, (v) To safeguard political rights, emphasizing that the principles set forth in Protocol I are valid and also relate to the problem of constitutional guarantees raised by RENAMO and dealt with in the document submitted to President Mugabe. To this end, the Government of the Republic of Mozambique shall submit to the Assembly of the Republic for adoption legal instruments incorporating the Protocols and guarantees, as well as the General Peace Agreement, in Mozambican law;

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: Page 3, (iv)
Fully to respect the principles set forth in Protocol I, under which "the Government undertakes to refrain from taking any action that is contrary to the provisions of the Protocols to be concluded and from adopting laws or measures or applying existing laws which may be inconsistent with those Protocols" and "RENAMO undertakes to refrain from armed combat and instead to conduct its political struggle in conformity with the laws in force, within the framework of existing State institutions and in accordance with the conditions and guarantees established in the General Peace Agreement".

Page 3, (v)
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: Rights related issues→Citizenship→Citizens, specific rights
Page 2, (ii)
To guarantee the personal safety of all Mozambican citizens and all members of political parties.
Democracy: Page 1
The achievement of peace, democracy and national unity based on national reconciliation is the greatest aspiration and desire of the entire Mozambican people.
Page 2 (i) To guarantee conditions permitting complete political freedom, in accordance with the internationally recognized principles of democracy;
(ii) To guarantee the personal safety of all Mozambican citizens and all members of political parties;
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: Page 2
Whereas Mr. Afonso Macacho Marceta Dhlakarna declared his readiness to sign an immediate cease-fire if certain guarantees were provided and arrangements were made for the security of both himself and members of RENAMO, and if his party was given freedom to organize and campaign without interference or hindrance.

Page 2, (ii)
To guarantee the personal safety of all Mozambican citizens and all members of political parties.
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provision
Page 1
Important results have been achieved thus far, as exemplified and demonstrated by the signing of the partial cease-fire agreement of 1 December 1990 and the adoption of the following protocols and agreements.

Page 2
Whereas Mr. Afonso Macacho Marceta Dhlakarna declared his readiness to sign an immediate cease-fire if certain guarantees were provided and arrangements were made for the security of both himself and members of RENAMO, and if his party was given freedom to organize and campaign without interference or hindrance.

Page 2, (iii)
To accept the role of the international community, particularly the United Nations, in monitoring and guaranteeing the implementation of the General Peace Agreement, particularly the cease-fire and the electoral process.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: Page 3, (iv)
Fully to respect the principles set forth in Protocol I, under which "the Government undertakes to refrain from taking any action that is contrary to the provisions of the Protocols to be concluded and from adopting laws or measures or applying existing laws which may be inconsistent with those Protocols" and "RENAMO undertakes to refrain from armed combat and instead to conduct its political struggle in conformity with the laws in force, within the framework of existing State institutions and in accordance with the conditions and guarantees established in the General Peace Agreement".
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: Page 1
The achievement of peace, democracy and national unity based on national reconciliation is the greatest aspiration and desire of the entire Mozambican people. Supplementing these efforts in the search for peace, democracy and national unity based on reconciliation in Mozambique, a meeting was held at Gaborone, Botswana, on 4 July 1992 [...]

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: Page 2, (iii)
To accept the role of the international community, particularly the United Nations, in monitoring and guaranteeing the implementation of the General Peace Agreement, particularly the cease-fire and the electoral process.
Enforcement mechanism: Page 2, (iii) To accept the role of the international community, particularly the United Nations, in monitoring and guaranteeing the implementation of the General Peace Agreement, particularly the cease-fire and the electoral process;
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: United States Institute of Peace (2002) Peace Agreements: Mozambique - Peace Agreements Digital Collection. Available at: https://www.usip.org/publications/2002/03/peace-agreements-mozambique (Accessed 14 October 2020).

JOINT DECLARATION

We, Joaguim Alberto Chissano, President of the Republic of Mozambigue, and Afonso Macacho Marceta Dhlakama, President of RENAMO,

Meeting at Rome in the presence of His Excellency Mr. Robert Gabriel Mugabe, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe;

His Excellency Mr. Emilio Colombo, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Italy;

the representative of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Botswana, Ms. Gaositwe Keagakwa Tibe Chiepe, Minister for Foreign Affairs;

the mediators of the peace process, Mario Raffaelli, representative of the Italian Government and coordinator of the mediators, Jaime Gonçalves, Archbishop of Beira, Andrea Riccardi and Matteo Zuppi, of the Community of San Egidio,

Recognizing that

The achievement of peace, democracy and national unity based on national reconciliation is the greatest aspiration and desire of the entire

Mozambican people,

In pursuit of this goal, the peace process was launched at Rome between the Government of the Republic of Mozambigue and RENAMO, assisted by mediators from the Italian Government, the Community of San Egidio and the Catholic Church of Mozambigue,

lmportant results have been achieved thus far, as exemplified and demonstrated by the signing of the partial cease-fire agreement of 1 December 1990 and the adoption of the following protocols and agreements:

(i) Agreed Agenda of 28 May 1991, and the amendments made thereto by the Act of 19 June 1992;

(ii) Protocol I "Basic principles", signed on 18 October 1991;

(iii) Protocol II "Criteria and arrangements for the formation and recognition of political parties", signed on 13 November 1991;

(iv) Protocol III "Principles of the Electoral Act", signed on 12 March 1992;

(v) Act of 2 July 1992 on improving the functioning of the COMIVE;

(vi) Declaration on guiding principles for humanitarian assistance, signed on 16 July 1992,

Supplementing these efforts in the search for peace, democracy and national unity based on reconciliation in Mozambique, a meeting was held at

Gaborone, Botswana, on 4 July 1992 between His Excellency Mr. Robert Gabriel Mugabe, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and His Excellency Sir Ketumile Masire, President of the Republic of Botswana, on the one hand, and Mr. Afonso Macacho Marceta Dhlakarna, President of RENAMO, on the other,

Following which the President of the Republic of Mozarnbique, Mr. Joaquim Alberto Chissano, was briefed in detail by the President of Zimbabwe on 19 July 1992,

Whereas Mr. Afonso Macacho Marceta Dhlakarna declared his readiness to sign an immediate cease-fire if certain guarantees were provided and

arrangements were made for the security of both himself and members of RENAMO, and if his party was given freedom to organize and campaign without interference or hindrance,

Considering his request for guarantees to enable RENAMO to operate freely as a political party after the signing of the General Peace Agreement,

Convinced that the suffering of the Mozambican people as a result of the war, exacerbated by the consequences of the worst drought in living memory, demands that rapid steps be taken to end the war,

Recognizing the need for the immediate restoration of peace in Mozarnbique,

Reaffirming the commitment of the Government of the Republic of Mozarnbique and of RENAMO to end the hostilities in Mozarnbique,

Determined to do everything possible to end the disaster brought about by the combined consequences of war and drought in our country,

Appreciating the progress made in the Rome peace negotiations between our respective delegations,

Considering the spirit of the Gaborone meeting of 4 July 1992,

Accordingly, commit ourselves to the following:

(i) To guarantee conditions permitting complete political freedom, in accordance with the internationally recognized principles of

democracy;

(ii) To guarantee the personal safety of all Mozarnbican citizens and all members of political parties;

(iii) To accept the role of the international community, particularly the United Nations, in monitoring and guaranteeing the implementation of the General Peace Agreement, particularly the cease-fire and the electoral process;

(iv) Fully to respect the principles set forth in Protocol I, under which "the Government undertakes to refrain from taking any action that is contrary to the provisions of the Protocols to be concluded and from adopting laws or measures or applying existing laws which may be inconsistent with those Protocols and RENAMO undertakes to refrain from armed combat and instead to conduct its political struggle in conformity with the laws in force, within the framework of existing State institutions and in accordance with the conditions and guarantees established in the General Peace Agreement";

(v) To safeguard political rights, emphasizing that the principles set forth in Protocol I are valid and also relate to the problem of constitutional guarantees raised by RENAMO and dealt with in the docurnent submitted to President Mugabe.

To this end, the Government of the Republic of Mozambique shall submit to the Assembly of the Republic for adoption legal instruments incorporating the Protocols and guarantees, as well as the General Peace Agreement, in Mozambican law;

(vi) On the basis of the above principles and of our commitment made in this solemn Declaration, we, Joaquim Alberto Chissano, President of the Republic of Mozambique, and Afonso Macacho Marceta Dhlakama, President of RENAMO, hereby authorize and instruct our respective

delegations participating in the Rome peace process to conclude, by 1 October 1992 at the latest, the remaining Protocols provided for in the Agreed Agenda, thereby permitting the signing of the General Peace Agreement by that date.

The signing of the General Peace Agreement and its adoption by the Assembly of the Republic as provided for in paragraph (v) of this Declaration shall result in the immediate entry into force of the cease-fire agreed to under the General Peace Agreement.

(Signed) Joaquim Alberto Chissano

President of the Republic of Mozambique

(Signed) Afonso Macacho Marceta Dhlakama

President of RENAMO

(Signed) Robert Gabriel Mugabe

President of the Republic of Zimbabwe

Witnessed by:

(Signed) Gaositwe Keagakwa Tibe Chiepe

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Botswana

and by the mediators:

(Signed) Mario Raffaelli

(Signed) Jaime Gonçalves

(Signed) Andrea Riccardi

(Signed) Matteo Zuppi

Rome, 7 August 1992