At the invitation of His Excellency Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of the Republic of Mozambique, paid a Working Visit to South Africa on 11 March 2022 and Co-Chaired the 3rd Session of the Bi-National Commission between the two countries.

Both Heads of State were accompanied by delegations of Ministers and Senior Government Officials.

The two Heads of State held substantive and fruitful discussions on a wide range of issues of common interest across the bilateral, regional, and international spectrum.

H.E. President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa and H.E. President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi expressed appreciation for the excellent ties of friendship, solidarity and cooperation which exist between their peoples and their two countries, and reaffirmed their willingness to further deepen them.

In this regard, H.E. President Ramaphosa and H.E. President Nyusi reviewed the work and progress of the bilateral cooperation since the 2nd Session of the South Africa – Mozambique Bi-National Commission (BNC), which was held from 23 to 25 August 2017 in Maputo, Mozambique.

The two Heads of State agreed on an implementation plan which is aimed at ensuring that there are strict timeframes with regard to the execution and implementation of the commitments and decisions taken during the BNC.

The two Heads of State reiterated the importance of ongoing economic cooperation between the two countries. They emphasised the need to intensify collaboration on areas that hold promise for immediate impact and benefit.

They also expressed the necessity of strengthening the African Union and subregional organisations in Africa with a view to promoting peace, security, stability and sustainable development.

The two Heads of State raised concern on the increased number of unconstitutional change of governments in the African continent including the Republics of Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, while the security situation in the Sahel region, Eastern DRC and Northern parts of Cabo Delgado Province of Mozambique remain of concern.

The two Heads of State emphasised the importance of the values of PanAfricanism and solidarity. They expressed concern over the manner in which the observer status of Israel in the African Union was granted by the African Union Commission. In this regard, they called upon members of the African Union to safeguard the values of the African Union for it to remain true to the intent of its founders.

The two Heads of State urged the United Nations Security Council to expedite the process towards the realisation of the right to selfdetermination of the people of Saharawi.

The two Heads of State further reconfirmed the correctness of the position of their countries’ vote in the United Nations General Assembly on Russia’s incursion into Ukraine on 2 March 2022. The two Presidents noted that the decision to abstain was based on the conviction that the resolution was not grounded on a balanced assessment of the underlying causes of the conflict. The Presidents called for a balanced approach to the conflict through dialogue that will address the security concerns of both parties to the conflict.

The two Presidents called upon the United Nations Security Council to mandate the United Nations Secretary General to initiate a dialogue between Russia and Ukraine.

The two Presidents also expressed concern at the increasing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

H.E. President Ramaphosa and H.E. President Nyusi reaffirmed the urgency to reform the United Nations Security Council.

President Ramaphosa reiterated South Africa’s support for the candidature of Mozambique to serve on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as a nonpermanent member for the year 2022/23.

H.E. President Nyusi expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and hospitality accorded to him and his delegation and further extended an invitation to H.E. President Ramaphosa to Maputo, Mozambique for the fourth Bi-National Commission in 2023 at a date to be mutually determined through diplomatic channels.

Source: Government of South Africa