Issued by: The Department of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs Alfred Nzo and his Mozambican counterpart, Minister Leonardo Simao, on behalf of their respective governments, signed an Agreement on Demining. This agreement was signed on 26 March 1997 during the present meeting of the OAU's Central Organ for Conflict Resolution in Lome, Togo.
Note should be taken of the fact that this Agreement follows the recent announcements by both Governments, banning the use of antipersonnel landmines in the respective countries. The signing of this Agreement can be regarded as another watershed event in the relations between South Africa and Mozambique. The accord has come about as a result of close cooperation and intense negotiation between the two Governments and Mozambique's National Demining Commission over a long period of time.
With these announcements, Mozambique and South Africa joined the growing tide of nations which have decided to ban the use of these weapons. In taking this step South Africa and Mozambique affirm their partnership in the campaign for a mine-free Southern Africa and in the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.
The estimated 2 million landmines in Mozambique can be regarded as the biggest threat to the reconstruction and development underway in Mozambique. This fact, intertwined with the obvious socio-economic benefits to both South Africa and Mozambique, moved the Department to co-opt the expertise of MECHEM, a subsidiary of DENEL.
To meet the financial implications of the proposed project, R12 million will be made available for the clearance of landmines in the Maputo province by the internationally recognised South African Company, MECHEM, a leading authority on mine lifting in the world.
It has been agreed that MECHEM will leave behind trained Mozambican personnel which will enable the National Demining commission to apply advanced Quality Assurance techniques that can be used to monitor the effectiveness of all future demining operations in that country.
The lifting of mines in Mozambique is of mutual benefit, but in particular it will assist Mozambican citizens, as it will stimulate the all important agricultural sector in Mozambique. It will improve the free movement of people and contribute to the recovery of the Mozambique tourist industry. Of critical importance is the improved conditions for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Mozambique's essential infrastructure.
There are a number of big projects in the offing like the proposed aluminium smelter and the Maputo Development corridor Project. These projects are important to both governments, and the successful demining of the Maputo province will significantly enhance the conditions for their implementation and economic growth and development in Mozambique and South African.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 26 MARCH 1997