Chissano, Joaquim Alberto
Chissano, Joaquim Alberto,
1939–, Mozambican political leader. A founding member of the Mozambican Liberation Front (Frelimo), he rose to become a major general in the organization, and after Mozambique became independent from Portugal he served as foreign minister in President Samora MachelMachel, Samora Moïsès, 1933–86, president of Mozambique (1975–86). Machel joined the Mozambican Liberation Front (Frelimo) in 1962, led its guerrilla forces by 1968, and in 1969 became president of the organization.
..... Click the link for more information. 's government. After Machel's death in 1986, Chissano succeeded him as president and Frelimo party leader. Chissano moved Mozambique toward a market economy, secured (1992) an end to the nation's post-independence civil war with Renamo (see MozambiqueMozambique
, officially Republic of Mozambique, republic (2015 est. pop. 25,303,000), 302,659 sq mi (784,090 sq km), SE Africa. It borders on the Indian Ocean in the east; on South Africa and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) in the south; on Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi in the
..... Click the link for more information. ), and oversaw the establishment of a multiparty democracy. Chissano was reelected in multiparty contests in 1994 and 1999 and retired as president and then as party leader in 2005. In 2006 he was appointed a UN special envoy, charged with helping end the insurgency in N Uganda. Chissano won the first Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership in 2007.