Editing Mozambique Defence Armed Forces (section)

==History==
Coelho et al write:
"Independence in June 1975 was preceded by a nine-month transition period in which [[Frelimo]] took control of a transitional cabinet where ..it held six of the nine ministries."{{sfn|Coelho|Malache|Macaringue|2015|p=161}} The previous Forças Populares de Libertação de Moçambique (FPLM), the armed wing of FRELIMO, became the Forças Armadas de Moçambique but retained the FPLM title, becoming "FAM/FPLM". From 1975 to the successful conclusions of the Rome negotiations in 1992, former liberation war leader [[Alberto Joaquim Chipande]] served as Minister of National Defence.{{sfn|Coelho|Malache|Macaringue|2015|p=162}}

Under the previous FAM, in 1982, ten provincial semi-autonomous military commands were created; the provincial commanders also acted as second in commands of the provincial government. Coelho et al write:{{sfn|Coelho|Malache|Macaringue|2015|p=173}}
<blockquote>"the 1st Brigade and the 6th Tank Brigade were located in Maputo; the 2nd Brigade was in Mapai and, together with 8th Brigade based in Chokwe, assured protection of the south; the 3rd Brigade was in Chimoio and the 5th in Beira; the 4th Brigade was placed in Tete, and the 7th in Cuamba, assuring a military presence in Niassa, Cabo Delgado, Zambezia and Nampula, and particularly in the Nacala corridor.."</blockquote>

Throughout the 1980s the FRELIMO government and its armed forces, the Forças Armadas de Moçambique/FPLM, fought the rebel [[Mozambican National Resistance]] (RENAMO), which received support by South Africa. The [[Mozambican Civil War]] only ended in 1992.

The Mozambique Defence Armed Forces were formed in mid-August 1994 after peace negotiations in Rome had produced the General Peace Agreement (GPA, AGP in Portuguese). The new armed forces were formed by integrating those soldiers of the former government Forças Armadas de Moçambique/FPLM and those among the RENAMO rebels who wished to stay in uniform.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Suppressing the Revival of Conflict in Mozambique through Inclusive National Dialogue|url=https://www.accord.org.za/conflict-trends/suppressing-revival-conflict-mozambique-inclusive-national-dialogue/|website=ACCORD|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-28|archive-date=25 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325172454/https://www.accord.org.za/conflict-trends/suppressing-revival-conflict-mozambique-inclusive-national-dialogue/|url-status=live}}</ref> They were formed through a commission, the ''Comissão Conjunta para a Formação das Forças Armadas de Defesa e Segurança de Moçambique'' (CCFADM), chaired by the [[United Nations Operation in Mozambique]] (ONUMOZ).<ref>'Final Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Operation in Mozambique,' S/1994/1449, 23 December 1994</ref>

Two generals were appointed to lead the new forces, one from [[FRELIMO]], Lieutenant General Lagos Lidimo, who was named Chief of the Defence Force and Major General Mateus Ngonhamo from RENAMO as Vice-Chief of the Defence Force. The former Chief of the Army of the ''Forças Armadas de Moçambique,'' Lieutenant General Antonio [[Hama Thai]], was retired.{{Citation needed|date=February 2012}}

The first three infantry battalions were stationed at [[Chokwe, Mozambique|Chokwe]], [[Cuamba]], and [[Quelimane]].<ref>Richard Synge, Mozambique: UN Peacekeeping in Action, 1992-94, [[United States Institute of Peace]] Press, [[Washington, D.C.]], 1997, p.105</ref>

On 20 March 2008, [[Reuters]] reported that President Guebuza had dismissed the Chief and Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Lieutenant General Lagos Lidimo (FRELIMO) and Lieutenant General Mateus Ngonhamo (RENAMO), replacing them with Brigadier General Paulino Macaringue as Chief of Defence Force and Major General Olímpio Cambora as Vice-Chief of Defence Force.<ref>[[Reuters]], [https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL20381858 Mozambique leader Guebuza sacks defence chiefs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210120945/https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL20381858 |date=10 February 2018 }}, 2008</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=A History of the Mozambican Civil War|url=http://www.adelinotorres.info/africa/David%20Robinson,%20Curse%20on%20the%20Land-History%20of%20the%20Mozambican%20Civil%20War.pdf|last=World Library|website=worldlibrary.org|access-date=2020-05-28|archive-date=24 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024232014/http://www.adelinotorres.info/africa/David%20Robinson,%20Curse%20on%20the%20Land-History%20of%20the%20Mozambican%20Civil%20War.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Filipe Nyussi]] took office as Minister of Defense on 27 March 2008, succeeding [[Tobias Joaquim Dai]].<ref>{{cite news |title= Mozambique: New Ministers Sworn in |url= http://allafrica.com/stories/200803271044.html |work= [[allAfrica.com]] |date= 2008-03-27 |access-date= 2008-04-18 |archive-date= 2 October 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121002223246/http://allafrica.com/stories/200803271044.html |url-status= live }}</ref> Nyussi's appointment came almost exactly one year after a fire and resulting explosions of munitions at the Malhazine [[Armory (military)|armoury]] in [[Maputo]] killed more than 100 people and destroyed 14,000 homes. A government-appointed investigative commission concluded that [[negligence]] played a role in the disaster, and Dai "was blamed by many for failing to act on time to prevent the loss of life".<ref>{{cite news | title = Mozambique defence minister axed a year after arms depot tragedy | url = http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Mozambique+defence+minister+axed+a+year+after+arms+depot+tragedy+-a01610947762 | work = [[International News Service]] | date = 2008-03-26 | access-date = 2008-04-23 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Although no official reason was given for Dai's removal, it may have been a "delayed reaction" to the Malhazine disaster.<ref name="Guebuza">{{cite news | title = Mozambique: Guebuza Sacks Defence Minister | url = http://allafrica.com/stories/200803260897.html | work = [[allAfrica.com]] | date = 2008-03-26 | access-date = 2008-04-18 | archive-date = 2 October 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121002222839/http://allafrica.com/stories/200803260897.html | url-status = live }}</ref>

In April 2010 it was announced that "the [[People's Republic of China]] donated to the FADM material for agriculture worth 4 million euros, including trucks, tractors, agricultural implements, mowers and motorbikes in the framework of bilateral cooperation in the military. Under a protocol of cooperation in the military field, the Government of China will also provide support to the Ministry of Defence of Mozambique with about 1 million euros for the areas of training and logistics. The protocol for granting aid to the Armed Forces for the Defence of Mozambique (FADM) was signed by Defense Minister of Mozambique, [[Filipe Nyusi]], and the charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy in Maputo, Lee Tongli."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oje.pt/noticias/africa/china-equipa-exercito-de-mocambique-com-material-agricola-de-4-milhoes-de-euros |title= Oje - o Jornal Economico - África - China equipa exército de Moçambique com material agrícola de 4 milhões de euros|access-date=2010-11-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100427194640/http://www.oje.pt/noticias/africa/china-equipa-exercito-de-mocambique-com-material-agricola-de-4-milhoes-de-euros |archive-date=27 April 2010 }}</ref>

Mozambique has also been involved in many peacekeeping operations in [[Burundi]] (232 personnel),<ref>Helmoed-Romer Heitman, 'Burundi mission at full strength,' Jane's Defence Weekly, 29 October 2003, 16.</ref> [[Comoros]], [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], [[East Timor]] and Sudan. They have also actively participated in joint military operations such Blue Hungwe in [[Zimbabwe]] in 1997 and Blue Crane in South Africa in 1999.{{sfn|Berman|Sams|2000}}