Chissano wins world’s biggest prize

FORMER Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano yesterday walked away with the world’s top prize – a N$35 million award for leaving office after serving only two terms.

Chissano is the first winner of the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership – an award launched by UK-based Saudi businessman Mo Ibrahim. The judges included former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, former UN representative in Namibia Martti Ahtisaari, former Ireland President Mary Robinson and former OAU Secretary General Salim Ahmed Salim.Announcing the Laureate in front of an audience of London’s African diplomatic community, civil society representatives and the media, Annan, the chairman of the prize committee, said: “President Chissano’s achievements in bringing peace, reconciliation, stable democracy and economic progress to his country greatly impressed the committee.So, too, did his decision to step down without seeking the third term the constitution allowed.”Annan praised Chissano’s government’s response on economic progress, poverty reduction programmes, infrastructure development and work to tackle HIV-AIDS.”It is his role in leading Mozambique from conflict to peace and democracy that President Chissano has made his most outstanding contribution,” Annan said.He said Chissano also made “major contribution outside his country’s borders” which included providing “a powerful voice for Africa on the international stage”.”His decision not to seek a third Presidential term reinforced Mozambique’s democratic maturity and demonstrated that institutions and the democratic process were more important than personalities,” the committee said in a statement issued after the award ceremony.Chissano served as Head of State of Mozambique from November 1986 to February 2005 before he handed over power through a democratic election.Since it was the inaugural award, all former African leaders who left office in the last years, including former Namibian President Sam Nujoma, were up for the award.However, Nujoma served three terms.In addition to the N$35 million (US$5 million) cash prize, Chissano will receive N$1,4 million (US$200 000) a year for the rest of his life.The prize, for which only retiring African presidents and prime ministers are eligible, is US$500 000 a year for ten years for their personal use, plus an additional US$200 000 a year to give to charity.That deal ends after the first decade of retirement, but the ex-leaders continue to receive US$200 000 a year until they die.The idea of the award is to support the attainment of good governance on the African continent.To qualify for the Mo Ibrahim Prize, you have to be a democratically elected African ruler who handed over power peacefully to a similarly elected successor, and did good things for the country while you had power.The judges included former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, former UN representative in Namibia Martti Ahtisaari, former Ireland President Mary Robinson and former OAU Secretary General Salim Ahmed Salim.Announcing the Laureate in front of an audience of London’s African diplomatic community, civil society representatives and the media, Annan, the chairman of the prize committee, said: “President Chissano’s achievements in bringing peace, reconciliation, stable democracy and economic progress to his country greatly impressed the committee.So, too, did his decision to step down without seeking the third term the constitution allowed.”Annan praised Chissano’s government’s response on economic progress, poverty reduction programmes, infrastructure development and work to tackle HIV-AIDS.”It is his role in leading Mozambique from conflict to peace and democracy that President Chissano has made his most outstanding contribution,” Annan said.He said Chissano also made “major contribution outside his country’s borders” which included providing “a powerful voice for Africa on the international stage”.”His decision not to seek a third Presidential term reinforced Mozambique’s democratic maturity and demonstrated that institutions and the democratic process were more important than personalities,” the committee said in a statement issued after the award ceremony.Chissano served as Head of State of Mozambique from November 1986 to February 2005 before he handed over power through a democratic election.Since it was the inaugural award, all former African leaders who left office in the last years, including former Namibian President Sam Nujoma, were up for the award.However, Nujoma served three terms.In addition to the N$35 million (US$5 million) cash prize, Chissano will receive N$1,4 million (US$200 000) a year for the rest of his life.The prize, for which only retiring African presidents and prime ministers are eligible, is US$500 000 a year for ten years for their personal use, plus an additional US$200 000 a year to give to charity.That deal ends after the first decade of retirement, but the ex-leaders continue to receive US$200 000 a year until they die.The idea of the award is to support the attainment of good governance on the African continent.To qualify for the Mo Ibrahim Prize, you have to be a democratically elected African ruler who handed over power peacefully to a similarly elected successor, and did good things for the country while you had power.