Joaquim Chissano

His Excellency Joaquim Alberto Chissano
2ndPresident of Mozambique
In office 6 November 1986 – 2 February 2005
Prime Minister	Mário da Graça Machungo Pascoal Mocumbi Luísa Diogo
Preceded by	Samora Machel
Succeeded by	Armando Guebuza
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 25 June 1975 – 19 October 1986
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Pascoal Mocumbi
Personal details
Born	(1939-10-22)22 October 1939 Malehice,Gaza Province,Portuguese Mozambique
Political party	FRELIMO
Spouse	Marcelina Rafael Chissano
Children	4

Joaquim Alberto Chissano(born 22 October 1939) is a politician who served as the secondPresident of Mozambique,from 1986 to 2005. He is credited with transforming the war-torn country of Mozambique into a successful African democracy.After his presidency, Chissano became an elder statesman, envoy and diplomat for both his home country and the United Nations. Chissano also served asChairperson of the African Unionfrom 2003 to 2004.

Early life

Chissano in 1972

Joaquim Chissano was born in the remote village of Malehice,Chibuto district,Gaza Provinceof thePortuguese colonyof Mozambique (then calledPortuguese East Africa). Chissano was the firstblackstudent to attend the only high school in the colony,LiceuSalazarin Lourenço Marques (present-dayMaputo).After leaving secondary school, he went to Portugal to study medicineat theFaculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon.However, his political leanings caused him problems and he moved to France where he continued his studies at theUniversity of Poitiers.In 1962, he went toTanzaniawhere he participated on the political movement that resulted in the foundation of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) and a year later he abandoned his studies to move toTanzaniain order to serve on the fight for the independence ofMozambique.

Career

Chissano became "one of the founding members" of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), which demanded autonomy fromPortugal.Later, Chissano played a fundamental role in the negotiation of theLusaka Accordof 1974, which paved the way for the country's independence in 1975.The new President of Mozambique,Samora Machel,appointed him asMinister of Foreign Affairs.

President of Mozambique

Chissano succeeded to the presidency and became FRELIMO party leader in 1986 when Samora Machel's presidential aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain in South Africa.Chissano ended theMozambican Civil Warin 1992 by negotiating apeace treatywith the rebel forces that "promised no prosecutions or punishments" and gave them 50% of the positions in the Mozambican army.TheRenamorebels later established their own political party.

In 1992, Chissano learned theTranscendental Meditation techniqueand introduced it to other government officials and their families.Two years later, Chissano and his generals ordered all police and military to "meditate twice a day for 20 minutes."In addition, 16,000 soldiers and 30,000 civilians were taught Transcendental Meditation and its advancedTM-Sidhi Programincluding Yogic Flying. According to Transcendental Meditation literature, Chissano said the result was "political peace and balance in nature in my country."According to Tobias Dai, the 2001 defence minister, "the effect was overwhelming" and included reduced crime, drought aversion and three times the expected level of economic growth.In 1993 Chissano received an honorary degree from Maharishi Vedic University inMERU, Hollandand in 1994 negotiated an agreement withMaharishi Heaven on Earth Developmentfor the agricultural development of 20 million hectares (49,000,000 acres) of "unused land"beginning with 2.5 million acres of timber, cotton and fruit.The 50-year contract promised 20% to 40% of the profits for the Mozambique governmentbut other government officials refused the deal.

Chissano meets thePresident of Brazil,Lula da Silvain 2004.

Chissano was reelected to the presidency in 1994 (53.3% of votes) and again in 1999 (52.9% votes), when he defeated the former rebel leader,Afonso Dhlakama.After winning re-election Chissano's priority became poverty eradication but his efforts were complicated by asevere flood in 2000.However, Chissano had a fundamental role in convincing theG8to write off £22 billion of Mozambique's debt in 2005.Chissano chose not to run for a third term in the elections of 2004, although the constitution would have allowed him to do so.During Chissano's presidency, almost 3 million people, about 15% of the country's citizens, were removed from "extreme poverty"and the country achieved an economic growth rate of eight percent.In addition, child mortality rates for children under age five decreased by 35% and there was a 65% increase in primary school attendance.

Post presidency

Since leaving the presidency Chissano has assumed the role of elder statesman and has campaigned for peace through his work as an envoy and peace negotiator for the United Nations.Chissano served asChairperson of the African Unionfrom July 2003 to July 2004.On 4 December 2006, theUnited Nations Secretary-GeneralKofi Annanappointed Chissano theSpecial Envoy of the Secretary-Generalto Northern Uganda andSouthern Sudan,to resolve the conflict with theLord's Resistance Army(LRA). On Chissano's 68th birthday in 2007, he was awarded the inaugural$5 millionPrize for Achievement in African Leadershipawarded by theMo Ibrahim Foundation.Chissano was absent from the award ceremony because he was still working on his United Nations mission in southern Sudan.According to the award's judges "Mr Chissano's decision not to seek a third presidential term reinforced Mozambique's democratic maturity and demonstrated that institutions and the democratic process were more important than the person".

In 2010, Chissano wrote an article forThe Huffington Postaboutwater scarcity in Africa.Chissano is a member of theFondation Chirac's honour committee.He is also an independent non-executive director atHarmony Gold Mining,a South African underground and surface gold mining company,as well as an Eminent Member of theSergio Vieira de Mello Foundation.

In 2014, Chissano has spoken out in favor ofLGBT rights in Africa.

On July 3, 2023, he was appointed Honorary President of the new International Association of Friends of theAlgerian Revolution.This organization aims to promote the principles of the Algerian Revolution and provide support to colonized peoples.

Joaquim Chissano and Henry Bellingham

Awards and nominations

• On 9 December 2004, he received the Order of the Athir, one of theNational Order of MeritsofAlgeria.
• On February, 2005, he received theHonoris Causatitle from theUniversity of Minho.The title was awarded with the institution justifying the tribute with the action developed by Chissano as President of the Republic and "also for the role he played in the peace process in Mozambique, in the evolution and construction of a democratic and opening up the country to development".
• In 2006, he received the Chatham House Prize.
• In 2007,Kofi Annanannounced the former President of Mozambique as the winner of theMo IbrahimPrize for Achievement in African Leadership by theMo Ibrahim Foundation.President Chissano received the inaugural Ibrahim Prize for his achievements in bringing peace, reconciliation, stable democracy and economic progress to his country following the 16-year civil war which lasted until 1992. The Prize also recognises the major contribution he has made outside his country’s borders.
• Chairs the Joaquim Chissano Foundation and the Forum of Former African Heads of State and Government.
• According to aUNISAstatement, released in Maputo, the former head of state would be distinguished, on 24 May, with the title doctor 'honoris causa' inLiterature and Philosophy,for the "political and diplomatic work developed in the last five decades." On 24 May 2011 he received it.

Personal life

Chissano is married to Marcelina Rafael Chissano. He is the father of four children and his son received a scholarship toMaharishi International Universityin Fairfield, Iowa.Chissano has been criticized for his continued friendship with Zimbabwean PresidentRobert Mugabeand there have been allegations that Chissano's sonNyimpine Chissano(who died in 2007) promised payment for the assassination of journalistCarlos Cardoso.

Chissano speaks fluentPortuguese,French,English,andSwahili.He speaksChanganaas well.

See also

• Portuguese Colonial War

External links

• Fundação Joaquim ChissanoArchived25 February 2021 at theWayback Machine
• AppearancesonC-SPAN
• Interview with Joaquim Chissano by Tor Sellström within the project Nordic Documentation on the Liberation Struggle in Southern Africa