Mozambican govt signs ceasefire deal with opposition Renamo

Delegations from the Mozambican government and the opposition party Renamo signed here late on Sunday a ceasefire agreement to end hostilities between the two sides.

After more than six hours of intensive talks, Agricultural Minister Jose Pacheco and Saimone Macuiana, head of the Renamo delegation, signed the agreement on behalf of President Amando Guebuza and Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama.

"This will be the implementation of the cessation of hostilities on the part of Renamo," said Macuiana.

"We don't want to say that war is good. War is bad...Today Mozambique enters into a new era. This accord, means that Mozambique starts a new route and Renamo will not engage in hostilities with the government," he added.

For his part, Pacheco said that from March to now, Mozambicans have witnessed deaths between the Muxungue locality and the Save river along the country's main north-south highway.

The political dialogue between the government and Renamo have been producing encouraging results, according to Pacheco.

The declaration of the ceasefire was read out by Lourenco do Rosario, one of the national observers to the talks.

Speaking to journalists soon after the reading, do Rosario said Renamo leader Dhlakama can now move freely in the country.

The government will start sending invitations for selected countries to start sending military observers to assist in the disarmament of residual forces of Renamo and their social reintegration.

Renamo has been launching military strikes across the country since March 2013, mainly against convoys traveling along Mozambique's main north-south highway in the central province of Sofala, leaving dozens of deaths and more injured.