Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy

Mr Bot praised President Guebuza, who took office in 2005, for his country’s economic progress during the last years. The growth rates are impressive considering the legacy of the colonial era, which left Mozambique in 1975 with hardly any middle class and few trained professionals, and the devastating civil war of  the 1970s and 80s.

Since independence FRELIMO is the dominant party, also after the establishment of multiparty democracy in 1990. In his address President Guebuza, who visited NIMD earlier in 2004 as the Secretary General of FRELIMO, explained how his government tries to involve opposition party RENAMO and civil society in policy making.

With regard to policy making, Mr Guebuza referred to the introduction of a degree of decentralisation to the local authorities in the rural areas, which used to be governed from the capital Maputo.

He also mentioned various initiatives to include civil society groups in the government’s programmes to fight poverty. He highlighted the NEPAD peer review process and PARPA, the Mozambican version of the Poverty reduction Strategy Plan. “We disagree on many issues, but we are communicating. Together we try to deal with our most sensitive issues: peace and development. We may not agree on strategies but we share the same goal.”
 
 
Democracy support

Guebuza: “By establishing the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, the Dutch have helped us to improve relations between FRELIMO and RENAMO and with civil society.” The President was frank about what role international donors can play to assist in the strenghening of new democracies: “Our problems are caused by local conditions. Donors should follow the rules of the countries.”

With regard to his own country, the time for mediation efforts from outside lies in the past, he said, referring to the Peace Negotiations (Rome 1992). “When nowadays a conflict exists we have to be encouraged to sit together, rather than use intensive mediation by outsiders. Our democracy is not an alien thing: we are the owners.”

 
NIMD in Mozambique
 
After the work undertaken in the period 1994-1999 in South Africa by NIMD’s predecessor, the Netherlands Foundation for a New South Africa, Mozambique was selected as the first NIMD programme country. Former South African President Mr Nelson Mandela recommended in 1999 that the Dutch political parties would continue their work to assist new democracies.

A field office was established in Maputo and a series of activities started in 2001 to assist in improving the functioning of the Mozambican political parties.
Similar to NIMD’s approach in South Africa inclusivity was the key characteristic of NIMD’s programme in Mozambique. In NIMD’s thinking it is very risky for foreign organisations to show any inclination to support a portion of the political playing field. In Mozambique this implied support to both the party in government and to parties in opposition. It also included support to parties not-represented in parliament.

An external evaluation of the Mozambique programme in 2003 showed that the political parties appreciated the support they received. Trainings and workshops assisted in strengthening parties and in increasing their planning capacities.