At the world’s biggest simulation conference National Model United Nations (NMUN) 2023 in New York we, the delegation from the University of Bamberg, have the honor to represent the Republic of Mozambique.

The Republic of Mozambique - Portuguese: República de Moçambique - is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Africa to the southwest. Mozambique is known for its stunning beaches, abundant wildlife, and unique blend of African, Arab, and Portuguese cultures.

Mozambique is home to vast reserves of natural gas in the Rovuma Basin off the northern coasz, estimated to be one of the largest in the world. The discovery it has made Mozambique a significant player in the global energy market. The development of these reserves has attracted significant foreign investment and has the potential to transform Mozambique's economy, creating new jobs and boosting infrastructure development. In addition to natural gas, Mozambique also has significant reserves of coal, titanium, and other minerals, making it a potential leader in the mining industry in Africa. The country's strategic location along the Indian Ocean also makes it an important transportation and logistics hub for southern Africa, with a large port in Maputo, the capital city. 

The first cultures of Mozambique were formed by immigrating Bantu-speaking peoples who came to the country over a thousand years ago. In the 10th century, Arab and Persian traders established settlements along the Swahili Coast, which became a hub of trade and cultural exchange. Portuguese explorers arrived in the region in the late 15th century and established a colonial presence in what became known as Portuguese Mozambique. Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975 after a long struggle for self-determination, including the Mozambican War of Independence (1964-1975). However, the country's post-independence era was marked by a civil war between the ruling FRELIMO party and the opposition RENAMO party, which lasted from 1977 to 1992 and claimed the lives of over a million people. Since the end of the civil war, Mozambique has undergone a process of national reconciliation and reconstruction, and has made significant strides in promoting peace, stability, and economic development. The country's democratic era, which began in 1993, has seen the establishment of multi-party democracy, free and fair elections, and improvements in human rights and governance.

On 16 September 1975, shortly after agining independence from Portugal, the Republic of Mozambique was admitted as an official member state to the United Nations. Mozambique was elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from 1 January 2023 for the first time. In 1992, the UN played a key role in brokering the Rome General Peace Accords, which brought an end to the devastating civil war in Mozambique. The United Nations Operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) was established to oversee the transition to multi-party democracy in Mozambique and to implement the peace accords. The mission was successful in its mandate and played a crucial role in promoting reconciliation and reconstruction in the country. Mozambique has also contributed troops to several other UN peacekeeping missions, including the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). In 2013, the UN established the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), which Mozambique has supported by contributing military and police personnel. The Republic of Mozambique is well integrated within Africa and is, among other organizations, a member of the African Union (AU), the Commonwealth of Nations, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLC).

The flag of Mozambique was adopted on May 1, 1983, and features three equal horizontal bands of green, black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side. Inside the triangle is a yellow star with a book, a hoe, and an AK-47 crossed above a blue wave. The green stripe represents agriculture, the black stripe represents the African continent, the yellow stripe represents the country's mineral wealth, the red triangle represents the struggle for independence, and the yellow star represents socialism and internationalism. The book, hoe, and AK-47 represent respectively education, agriculture, and defense. The blue wave represents the Indian Ocean, which borders Mozambique to the east.

We are excited to represent the Republic of Mozambique at NMUN 2023 in New York.