Joaquim Chissano

Chissano succeeded to the presidency and became Frelimo party leader in 1986 when Samora Machel's presidential aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain in South Africa.[2][3] Chissano ended the Mozambican Civil War in 1992 by negotiating a peace treaty with the rebel forces that "promised no prosecutions or punishments" and gave them 50% of the positions in the Mozambican army.[4] The Renamo rebels later established their own political party.

In 1992, Chissano learned the Transcendental Meditation technique and introduced it to other government officials and their families.[5] Two years later, Chissano and his generals ordered all police and military to "meditate twice a day for 20 minutes."[6] In addition, 16,000 soldiers and 30,000 civilians were taught Transcendental Meditation and its advanced TM-Sidhi Program including Yogic Flying. According to Transcendental Meditation literature, Chissano said the result was "political peace and balance in nature in my country."[6] According to Tobias Dai, the 2001 defence minister, "the effect was overwhelming" and included reduced crime, drought aversion and three times the expected level of economic growth.[6] In 1993 Chissano received an honorary degree from Maharishi Vedic University in MERU, Holland[7] and in 1994 negotiated an agreement with Maharishi Heaven on Earth Development for the agricultural development of 20 million hectares (49,000,000 acres) of "unused land"[8] beginning with 2.5 million acres of timber, cotton and fruit.[5] The 50-year contract promised 20% to 40% of the profits for the Mozambique government[5][9] but other government officials refused the deal.[10]

Chissano meets the President of Brazil, Lula da Silva in 2004.

Chissanno was reelected to the presidency in 1994 (53.3% of votes) and again in 1999 (52.9% votes), when he defeated the former rebel leader, Afonso Dhlakama.[1] After winning re-election Chissano's priority became poverty eradication but his efforts were complicated by a severe flood in 2000.[1] However, Chissano had a fundamental role in convincing the G8 to write off £22 billion of Mozambique's debt in 2005.[1] Chissano chose not to run for a third term in the elections of 2004, although the constitution would have allowed him to do so.[4] During Chissano's presidency, almost 3 million people, about 15% of the country's citizens, were removed from "extreme poverty"[4] and the country achieved an economic growth rate of eight percent.[1] In addition, child mortality rates for children under age five decreased by 35% and there was a 65% increase in primary school attendance.[4]

Since leaving the presidency Chissano has assumed the role of elder statesman and has campaigned for peace through his work as an envoy and peace negotiator for the United Nations.[4] Chissano served as Chairperson of the African Union from July 2003 to July 2004. On 4 December 2006, the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed Chissano the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan, to resolve the conflict with the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). On Chissano's 68th birthday in 2007, he was awarded the inaugural $5 million Prize for Achievement in African Leadership awarded by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.[4][11][12] Chissano was absent from the award ceremony because he was still working on his United Nations mission in southern Sudan.[1] According to the award's judges "Mr Chissano's 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 the person".[1]

In 2010, Chissano wrote an article for The Huffington Post about water scarcity in Africa.[13] Chissano is a member of the Fondation Chirac's honour committee.[14] He is also an independent non-executive director at Harmony Gold Mining, a South African underground and surface gold mining company,[15] as well as an Eminent Member of the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation.

In 2014, Chissano has spoken out in favor of LGBT rights in Africa.[16]