Government expresses gratitude to SAMIM

Maputo, 11 Aug (AIM) – The Mozambican government has expressed its gratitude to the support given to the country by the Southern African Development Community Military Mission (SAMIM) in the fight against Islamist terrorism in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.

The gratitude was expressed, on Friday, in Maputo, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Verónica Macamo, during the launch of the week commemorating the 44th anniversary of SADC Day, which will take place on 17 August, under the slogan “SADC: the challenge of transforming the informal market to facilitate trade and the well-being of the population.”

“We would like to express our deep gratitude to our sister SADC countries for sending the SADC Mission to Mozambique as a regional response in the fight against terrorism in some districts of Cabo Delgado”, she said.

Although SAMIM has left the country, the Mozambican forces can count on the support of some friendly countries, on a bilateral basis. So far, the country counts on the support of forces from Tanzania and Rwanda, which have already publicly expressed their intention to remain in Mozambique.

The Mission formally left the country in July when its mandate came to an end.

“The mission had culminated in remarkable progress”, claimed Macamo. “It eliminated all terrorist bases and people displaced by the terrorists returned to their areas of origin. There is also the resumption of economic activities, the restoration of access routes, and the improvement of the Cabo Delgado security situation”.

(AIM)

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