The partnership between Switzerland and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) was this week further strengthened, with the European country, handing over equipment to ease operations of the latter.
The equipment, donated Wednesday included a vehicle, GPS equipment and video-recording camera.
“The materials and human resources support will contribute to enhancing the operational capabilities of the NPRC in the discharge of its mandate of ensuring post-conflict justice, healing, reconciliation and dealing with the past among others,” said the Swiss Embassy in a statement.
“The NPRC-Swiss partnership aims to prevent and mitigate violence and conflict by strengthening democratic processes that include electoral, constitutional and parliamentary. The partnership also seeks to enhance information and data management policies and processes, as well as contributing expertise to other key procedures such as complaints handling, truth-telling mechanisms and victims’ support.”
NPRC and Switzerland have to date partnered on a wide range of topics including work around the Peace Pledge by political parties towards the 2018 Harmonized elections.
“This code of conduct, signed by all political parties allowed for a violence-free campaign period before the election,” noted the Swiss Embassy.
Swiss ambassador to Zimbabwe, Niculin Jäger was quoted as saying at an international level, Switzerland’s long-standing engagement allowed for the contribution towards peaceful and long-term solutions to conflict.
“Switzerland provides facilitation and mediation support within the framework of its good offices,” said Jäger.
“The main goal of our modest contribution today is to promote unity for sustainable peace through resolving violent conflicts of the past and institutionalizing approaches for preventing their recurrence in the future. To achieve this, the right tools to do the job are required. Switzerland hopes the vehicle, equipment and human resources support unveiled today will help to overcome the transportation barrier and other challenges facing the NPRC when reaching out to its constituency around the country.”
NPRC chairperson, Selo Nare, paid tribute to Switzerland for the support over the years, especially in strengthening the capacity of the commission in fulfilling its mandate on national healing and reconciliation.
“From Switzerland, the NPRC has not only received financial and material support, but also technical support that has strengthened our capacity to fulfil a very broad mandate on national healing and ensuring national cohesion,” said Nare.
“On behalf of the commission, I want to take this opportunity to thank the Swiss people for their continued support and hope that this relationship will continue in the future.”
