National Dialogue Enters New Phase Following Conclusion of Public Hearings

Despite the formal conclusion of the hearings, the Commission will continue to receive contributions from civil society organisations, public and private institutions, academia and citizens interested in participating in the process.

The announcement was made by COTE President Edson Macucua, who explained that the end of the hearings does not mean the end of public participation.

According to Macucua, the Commission intends to keep channels open for proposals and contributions that could enrich the ongoing process, given its national importance.

The new phase will focus on organising the submissions received during the hearings, identifying the main issues raised by participants and preparing the material that will serve as a basis for the next stages of the Inclusive National Dialogue.

COTE also intends to create conditions to extend the consultation process to areas that were not covered during the previous phase, particularly some districts in northern Cabo Delgado Province.

According to Macucua, security conditions prevented the Commission from conducting consultations in some parts of the province.

“While the systematisation process is under way, we will create the conditions to reach northern Cabo Delgado and cover some districts that, for security reasons, were not included during the hearing phase,” Macucua said.

The consultations took place in different parts of the country and involved citizens, civil society organisations, public and private institutions, as well as other stakeholders interested in Mozambique’s political, economic and social future.

The consultation process also extended beyond Mozambique’s borders. In Germany, COTE held meetings with different institutions and representatives interested in the Mozambican dialogue process.

During the visit, the Commission met with the German Africa Foundation in a session attended by representatives of government, parliament and civil society.

The discussions focused on the Inclusive National Dialogue process as well as Mozambique’s political, economic and social situation.

According to Macucua, COTE also used the meetings to encourage continued co-operation between governmental and non-governmental institutions and Mozambique, particularly in the areas of peace, democracy and development.

With the start of the systematisation phase, the Commission will now organise and analyse the proposals collected while seeking to include regions and sections of society that were unable to participate in the earlier hearings.

By continuing to accept new contributions, COTE aims to broaden participation and ensure that different perspectives and views remain represented in the Inclusive National Dialogue process.