Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has welcomed the signing of a peace agreement between Mozambican President Armando Guebuza and Afonso Dhlakama, leader of the former rebel movement Renamo.
The two have formally approved an agreement on the cessation of hostilities on both sides.
Commending the two for their commitment, President Zuma on Monday said: “The South African Government wished for continued peace, stability and prosperity for the people of Mozambique”.
The agreement to end military hostilities in Mozambique was signed initially by the heads of negotiating teams namely Jose Pacheco, from the government and by Saimone Macuiana from Renamo, last month.
The Mozambican Parliament will hold an extraordinary meeting this week in order to ratify the deal and make it into a law.
Mozambique will hold its fifth general elections on October 15.
With the endorsement of the agreement to end the hostilities, the leader of Renamo, who is also the party's candidate for the October 15 presidential elections, can now freely start his electoral campaign.
The other two presidential candidates are Filipe Nyusi of the ruling Frelimo Party and Daviz Simango of the Mozambique Democratic Movement party, who have been campaigning since the end of August.
Meanwhile, the Mozambican government has already sent invitations for the foreign military observers who will monitor the cessation of hostilities between the Mozambican government and Renamo.
The foreign mission is to be known by the acronym EMOCHM (International Observer Military Team for the Cessation of Military Hostilities).
The countries invited to send observers are Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, Cape Verde, Portugal, Italy, Britain and the United States. – SAnews.gov.za-Xinhua
