Parties: Government of the People’s Republic of Mozambique; Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO)
Type: Intra-state
The Parties to the Joint Communique agreed to do everything possible to conduct a constructive search for a lasting peace for their country and their people. The Parties agreed to focus on what unites them in order to engage in a dialogue in which they discuss their different points of view. The Parties agreed to find a working basis to create the necessary political, economic and social conditions for building a lasting peace and normalising the life of all Mozambican citizens.
The Parties to the Joint Declaration agreed to guarantee conditions permitting complete political freedom and RENAMO undertook 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. The Parties agreed to safeguard political rights and to adopt these principles in law.
The General Peace Agreement constituted seven Protocols agreed on by the Parties. The Parties undertook to do everything within their power for the achievement of genuine national reconciliation. The Parties agreed on the necessity of guaranteeing the workings of a multi-party democracy in which the parties would freely cooperate in shaping and expressing the will of the people and in promoting democratic participation by the citizens in the Government of the country. The Parties agreed that political parties would be independent, voluntary and free associations of citizens, national in scope, and that associations that promote local or sectoral interests would not be classified as political parties, in line with the Political Parties Act. The Agreement also set out the democratic principles that political parties must abide by, including pursuing democratic purposes. Political parties would have equal rights and duties before the law. Parties would have a duty to be organised democratically, abide by democratic principles and be registered. Following signature of the Agreement, RENAMO would commence its activities as a political party. The Parties agreed that the Electoral Act would be drafted by the Government in consultation with RENAMO and all other political parties.
The Parties agreed that all citizens would enjoy the right of freedom of the press and freedom of information, the right to freedom of association, expression and political activity, liberty of movement and freedom of residence. The Parties agreed to further the return and reintegration of refugees and IDPs along with restitution of their property, and the inclusion of refugees and IDPs in the electoral rolls. In relation to the electoral act, the Parties set out the general principles that would underlie the Act, recognition of the right to vote and the establishment and functioning of a national electoral commission. The Agreement provided for the election of representatives to the Assembly, election of the president and guarantees for the electoral process.
The Parties agreed that the Mozambican Defence Force (FADM) would be formed for service throughout the national territory. This would take place simultaneously with the DDR of RENAMO units. FADM would be composed of units of both sides. The Parties agreed to the troop strength of the FADM as well as the command structures, and the economic and social reintegration of demobilised soldiers through a Reintegration Commission. There was also provision made for the depoliticisation and restructuring of the police forces. The Agreement provided a timetable for the conduct of the electoral process.