Unima honours Mozambique President Nyusi
The University of Malawi (Unima) on Wednesday awarded Mozambique President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi with an honorary degree in international affairs and diplomacy as Malawi and Mozambique cement a new chapter in their relations.
Conferring the degree, President Lazarus Chakwera, who is Unima Chancellor, said in the 59-year history of the country’s first public university, the degree presented to Nyusi is only the third Honoris Causa, an indication of Unima’s respect for standards by awarding those who have truly distinguished themselves.
He said beyond the personal achievements, the award recognises and celebrates the new chapter in Malawi-Mozambique relations to which Nyusi has been instrumental.
Said Chakwera: “This recognition acknowledges that the journey towards deeper cooperation, mutual understanding and collective prosperity that Malawi and Mozambique have enjoyed in the past four years is a huge milestone.”
He said despite the two countries sharing a common border, culture and geography for decades, that affinity and proximity did not always translate into warm relations.
“It took Nyusi’s prowess in diplomacy to recognise that with the new administration in Malawi,” said Chakwera.
In his acceptance speech, Nyusi, born on February 9 1959 in Mueda District, Cabo Delgado Province in Mozambique and became his country’s fourth President in October 2014, said Malawi and Mozambique regularly stand together in times of plenty and need alike.
He said the two countries must work together to address the complexities of their interconnected world.
“Malawi and Mozambique now regularly celebrate each other’s triumphs and mourn each other’s tragedies,” said Nyusi.
Unima Vice-Chancellor Samson Sajidu said the university is committed to continuing being a beacon of academic excellence within and beyond the borders.
“Excellence needs recognition,” he said.
The Unima honorary degree is Nyusi’s third after he received the first in 2018 in international relations from Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations in Switzerland and a second in biodiversity conservation and climate change in 2022 from Eduardo Mondlane University in his country. Nyusi obtained a master’s degree in mechanical engineering with distinction from the VAAZ Bruno Military Academy in the Czech Republic in 1990.
