Maputo - South African President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday formally apologised to his Mozambican counterpart, President Filipe Nyusi for the death of Mozambican nationals during the recent wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
In an official statement containing his opening remarks at the start of his state visit to Mozambique, Zuma said: “Let me from the onset Mr President extend our deepest condolences to you in person, for the death of Mozambican nationals during the recent horrific attacks in our country.
“We condemned the incidents strongly and continue to do everything possible to ensure that there is no recurrence in our country. Our people came out in huge numbers to demonstrate their strong condemnation of the attacks. Government has also embarked on a long-term programme of managing migration better and to promote peaceful co-existence between foreign nationals and nationals.
“We have also embarked on a month-long programme to raise awareness about the sterling contribution of our neighbours and Africa as a whole in the attainment of freedom in our country. We thank you for your understanding during the entire difficult period.”
Mozambican national Emmanuel Sithole was one of several people killed when anti-foreigner violence erupted in parts of South Africa last month.
Zuma, in his opening remarks said the two-day State visit was a great honour and privilege as he went on to describe “this great country, Mozambique, a country with whom we share historic bonds of friendship and solidarity”.
He told Nyusi and a number of government ministers and senior officials that “these historic bonds were concretely cemented during the period of our struggles against colonialism and apartheid”.
“Our historic and strategic relations have found true expression in the many areas of cooperation between our two countries over the last two decades,” Zuma said. “Key in this regard, was our decision in 2011 to elevate our structured bilateral mechanism to an annual Bi-National Commission.
“The depth and extent of our cooperation is amplified by the existence of over sixty (60) bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding covering a wide range of sectors including energy, transport, trade and investment, agriculture, environment, water, defence and security, immigration, science and technology, labour, communication, tourism, arts and culture, sport, to mention but a few.
“While we applaud the existence of these legal instruments which are in their very nature enabling mechanisms, there is nonetheless an urgent need to ensure that they are implemented for the mutual benefit of our two countries and peoples.”
Zuma added that the two countries’ trade and investment cooperation could undoubtedly be expanded further and said “the opportunity is ripe with potential for expansion and diversification of trade”.
“As a region, we have not only committed ourselves to regional integration but we have taken a step closer to realising our cherished desire to industrialise the region.
“As SADC, our approval in Harare on 29th April 2015 of the Regional Industrialisation Strategy and the Revised Regional Strategic Indicative Development Plan is a demonstrable and seminal milestone towards regional economic integration.”
Zuma said conflict and instability continued to impede the political and economic progress of Africa.
“We should continue to co-operate closely in conflict prevention, resolution and management, as well as in post conflict reconstruction and development,” Zuma said. “We are deeply concerned by the ongoing conflicts that are tearing apart the sister countries of Central African Republic, Libya, South Sudan and Somalia.
“We are equally concerned about the ongoing instability in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The current challenges in Burundi nearly took us by surprised. This requires of us as a Continent to be vigilant and make the necessary interventions timeously. We commend the regional efforts as led by the East African Community.”
ANA