MAPUTO, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Over 800 ex-combatants of Renamo, Mozambique's main opposition party, have been demobilized and returned to civilian life in the past four weeks, which brought the number of demobilized individuals to about 90 percent of the final goal, said a UN envoy in a statement on Friday.
It was a significant achievement, and the continuation of steady progress on the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) process is highly encouraging, said Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Mozambique Mirko Manzoni, who also serves as the president of the International Contact Group supporting the peace process in Mozambique.
Two additional Renamo bases in the districts of Mocuba and Sabe, located in the province of Zambezia, have also been closed, according to the statement.
"We commend the continued collaboration and commitment to dialogue demonstrated by the government and Renamo in reaching yet another significant milestone in the implementation of the Maputo Accord for Peace and National Reconciliation," said the envoy.
Manzoni said they are approaching the end of the demobilization and disarmament phase, and the effective reintegration of DDR beneficiaries into civilian life is critical to the sustainability of the process.
He called on all stakeholders to play a positive role in advancing peace in Mozambique. ■