Draft:Mirko Manzoni

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Mirko Manzoni[edit]

Mr. Manzoni (born in 1967, Lugano[1], Switzerland) is a Swiss diplomat and former humanitarian with the International Committee of the Red Cross. In July 2019, he was appointed by the United Nations Secretary General as his Personal Envoy (PESG) for Mozambique.[2] In this role, Mr. Manzoni provided good offices to support dialogue between the Government of Mozambique and RENAMO [Resistência Nacional Moçambicana] towards the signing and subsequent implementation of a peace agreement between the parties[3], the Maputo Accord for Peace and National Reconciliation[4]. [5]This followed his role as Swiss Ambassador to Mozambique where he supported the peace process between the Government of Mozambique and RENAMO in his capacity as Chief Mediator[6] and Chair of the International Contact Group[7][8].

In November 2023, following the final RENAMO military base closure[9] and the end of the mandate of the PESG for Mozambique, he took up the role as Ambassador of Switzerland to South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Mauritius, and Eswatini, and as Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Education[edit]

Mr Manzoni holds a Master’s Degree in Architecture from the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology at EPFL and a Masters in Business Administration from the School of Business in HEC Lausanne, Switzerland. [10]

Career[edit]

Mr Manzoni began his humanitarian career with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), serving in Iraq and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[11]

He was a diplomat with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs since 2004, serving in Kosovo, Mali, and Poland, prior to becoming Ambassador to Mozambique in 2014.

From 2017 he supported the peace process between the Government of Mozambique and RENAMO in his capacity as Chief Mediator and Chair of the International Contact Group. In this role he and fellow Mediator, Neha Sanghrajka, conducted shuttle diplomacy from the capital, Maputo to the RENAMO stronghold in the province of Sofala, to facilitate dialogue between the leaders of RENAMO, the late Alfonso Dhaklama and Ossufo Momade, and President of the Republic of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi.[12]

On 08 July 2019, he was appointed as the United Nations Secretary General’s Personal Envoy for Mozambique to support the Maputo Accord for Peace and National Reconciliation (06 August 2019), of which he is a witness to the agreement.[13]

He attributes the success of the process to the strong nationally owned process and leadership and trust of the Parties.[14] [15]

From 2019 to 2023, his good offices supported the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration process in Mozambique[16]. This included bringing into the process, through negotiations, the members of self-proclaimed Renamo Military Junta (RMJ)[17] which had emerged a few weeks before the signing of the agreement and was led by Mariano Nhongo[18] a former Renamo military officer[19]. In July 2023 the final of all 16 RENAMO bases were closed, marking the disarmament and demobilisation of the 5,221 former RENAMO combatants.[20]

Personal Life[edit]

Mr Manzoni speaks French, English, German, Italian, and Portuguese.

He is married with two children.[21]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Petite, Simon (15 January 2020). "Le Faiseur de Paix Mésestimé [Mirko Manzoni, the Underrated Peacemaker]". Le Temps. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Swiss ambassador to be Guterres' representative to Mozambique". VOA. VOA Portuguese. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  3. ^ Vines, Alex; McNamee, T; Muyangwa, M (2021). The State of Peacebuilding in Africa (PDF). Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 321–342. ISBN 978-3-030-46636-7. Retrieved 26 October 2023
  4. ^ Jaberg, Federico Franchini, and Traduit de l’italien par Samuel. (6 September 2019). "Mirko Manzoni, l'artisan suisse de la paix au Mozambique [Mirko Manzoni, the Swiss Peace Artisan in Mozambique]". SWI. Retrieved 12 December 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Ambassador Mirko Manzoni is appointed the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Mozambique". Admin.ch. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  6. ^ ""The Wish for Peace is Genuine": Former Personal Envoy for Mozambique Reflects on an End to Hostilities in the Country". Medium. Politically Speaking. 04 February 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General congratulates Mozambique on its historic Presidency of the UN Security Council". Club of Mozambique. 06 April 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2024. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "PR agradece Mirko Manzoni pelo apoio prestado no processo de paz". Fohla De Maputo. 04 July 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2024. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ Omar, Zacarais (05 July 2023). "Política DDR: Filipe Nyusi agradece Mirko Manzoni pelo apoio prestado na pacificação do País". Torre News. Retrieved 15 May 2024. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ "Mirko Manzoni: Personal Envoy Profile'". un.org. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Mirko Manzoni: Personal Envoy Profile'". un.org. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  12. ^ Medrum, Andrew (1 August 2019). "Mozambique peace accord brings hope of economic growth". Associated Press News. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  13. ^ Mucari, Manuel; Rumney, Emma; Smout, Alistair (6 August 2019). "Pact is reached in Mozambique but prospects for peace still uncertain". Reuters. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Root Causes of Conflicts in Africa Must Be Addressed beyond Traditional Response, Special Adviser Tells Security Council Debate on Silencing Guns'". UN Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  15. ^ "Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General (Mirko Manzoni) congratulates Mozambique on its historic Presidency of the UN Security Council". Club of Mozambique. 6 April 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023
  16. ^ "Mirko Manzoni praises leaders in the DDR implementation process". O Pais. 2020-09-23. Retrieved 12 December 2023
  17. ^ Duarte, Sitoe (2 December 2021). "Manzoni announces the end of the Renamo Military Junta". Evidências. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  18. ^ "Mirko Manzoni reiterates that Mariano Nhongo did not cooperate with the Government". Carta de Moçambique. 11 October 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  19. ^ De Silva, Romeu (22 December 2020). "Is the approach of Nhongo and Manzoni a sign of progress towards peace?". DW. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  20. ^ "'Sempre é possível escolher a paz', Nações Unidas Moçambique". UN News. 16 June 2023.
  21. ^ "Mirko Manzoni: Personal Envoy Profile'". un.org. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
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