Joaquim Chissano
| Joaquim Alberto Chissano | |
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| 2nd President of Mozambique | |
|
In office 6 November 1986 – 2 February 2005 |
|
| Prime Minister |
Mário da Graça Machungo Pascoal Mocumbi Luisa Diogo |
| Preceded by | Samora Machel |
| Succeeded by | Armando Guebuza |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
22 October 1939 Gaza Province, Mozambique |
| Political party | FRELIMO |
| Spouse(s) | Marcelina Rafael Chissano |
| Children | 4 |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Joaquim Alberto Chissano (born 22 October 1939) was the second President of Mozambique, serving from 1986 to 2005. He is credited with transforming the war-torn country of Mozambique into one of the most successful African democracies. After his presidency, Chissano became an elder statesman, envoy and diplomat for both his home country and the United Nations. Chissano also served as Chairperson of the African Union from 2003 to 2004.
Joaquim Chissano was born in the remote village of Malehice, Chibuto district, Gaza Province of the Portuguese colony of Mozambique (then called Portuguese East Africa). Chissano was the first black student to attend the only high school in the colony, Liceu Salazar in Lourenço Marques (present-day Maputo). After leaving secondary school, he went to Portugal to study medicine at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon. However, his political leanings caused him problems and he moved to Tanzania.
Chissano became "one of the founding members" of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), which demanded autonomy from Portugal. Later, Chissano played a fundamental role in the negotiation of the Lusaka Accord of 1974, which paved the way for the country's independence in 1975. The new President of Mozambique, Samora Machel, appointed him as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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 the Mozambican Civil War in 1992 by negotiating a peace treaty with the rebel forces that "promised no prosecutions or punishments" and gave them 50% of the positions in the Mozambican army. The Renamo rebels later established their own political party.
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