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Development and UN cooperation at heart of Swiss Mozambique visit

Berset and Nyusi visit refugee camp
Swiss President Alain Berset (centre left) and his Mozambican counterpart Filipe Jacinto Nyusi (centre right) visited a refugee camp in the north of the country. © Keystone / Peter Klaunzer

Swiss President Alain Berset on Friday ended a visit to Mozambique which focused on bilateral ties and cooperation in the UN Security Council, according to a government press release.

Both Switzerland and Mozambique are currently members of the Security Council. Switzerland will chair the 15-member Council for the first time in May.

“The two countries would like to take joint initiatives in areas such as water and access to basic services in conflict zones, says the press releaseExternal link. “In mid-May, President Berset will chair a UN Security Council meeting in New York on the protection of civilians in conflict areas.”

+ Read more about Switzerland in the UN Security Council

On Wednesday, he held high level talks with Mozambique’s president Filipe Jacinto Nyusi in the capital Maputo, also focusing on “opportunities for expanding economic relations and the importance of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, which are aimed at companies in the mining, oil and gas industries,” according to the press release.

On Thursday Berset, accompanied by Nyusi, visited the northern province of Cabo Delgado. Some 1.5 million people in the north of the country are dependent on humanitarian aid, owing to the spread of violent extremism. Switzerland supports programmes to ensure access to basic services such as water and electricity.

Berset’s programme included talks with UN representatives in the region, including the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy to Mozambique, Mirko Manzoni. As Swiss ambassador in Mozambique, Manzoni led negotiations between rebels and the government which resulted in a peace agreement in 2019.

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