Status of Forces Agreement does not mean new military deal

Maputo, 29 Aug (AIM) – Mozambican President Daniel Chapo has declared that the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed on Wednesday in Kigali between Mozambique and Rwanda does not mean the creation of a new military agreement or alliance between the two countries.

According to Chapo, who was speaking to reporters at a press conference marking the end of his two-day working visit to Rwanda, SOFA is an international legal instrument that establishes rules of action for foreign troops when deployed in another country.

He also explained that the SOFA is used whenever a country has military personnel or armed forces operating in another territory, establishing rules of engagement that define the mode of action, limits, and restrictions of the forces involved.

This type of agreement, he said, had already been implemented in Mozambique during the presence of the Southern African Development Community Military Mission (SAMIM) in the fight against terrorism in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.

“I’ll give a specific example: suppose there’s a departure of military vehicles or equipment from Rwanda to Mozambique. The SOFA clearly states that these are temporary import vehicles, and therefore, they don’t pay duties, because once the mission ends, these vehicles leave the country”, he said.

The agreement establishes “how the soldiers will act, to what extent, what the limitations are if, for example, something happens inside another country.”

According to Chapo, the SOFA does not imply a new military agreement, much less a military alliance. “It does not imply an increase in the Rwandan contingent in Cabo Delgado, but rather the legal clarification of their presence”, he said.

Critics of the government note that the SOFA was signed four years after the first contingent of Rwandan forces arrived in Mozambique, and there has been no explanation for the delay.

The initial agreement on the Rwandan presence was signed under Chapo’s predecessor, Filipe Nyusi, and was never made public. Chapo seems to be relaxing the secrecy inherited from Nyusi, although there is no sign that the SOFA will be put before the Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, for ratification.

Also on Thursday morning, Chapo visited the Kigali Special Economic Zone, a place where local and international companies generate jobs, especially for young people and women.

“We want to adopt Rwandan experiences, strengthening the processing of raw materials and job creation”, he said. Chapo’s visit also included a meeting with the Mozambican community living in Rwanda.
(AIM)
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