Italy's foreign minister Enzo Maovero Milanesi on Wednesday praised a new peace accord signed between Mozambique's president and the country's main opposition group, which pledges to end years of violence and to pave the way for October elections.
"In Mozambique a definitive peace accord has been signed, a very important step towards stability," Moavero tweeted.
"Affectionate congratulations and best wishes to a friend and priority economic partner for Italy," the tweet added.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini was among top European and African officials who attended Tuesday signing of the peace agreement by Mozambique's president Filipe Nyusi and opposition Renamo leader Ossufo Momade.
The peace accord followed a related agreement signed by Nyusi and Momade last week in which they vowed to cease military hostilities.
A previous peace agreement was signed in 2014, but failed to stop outbreaks of the sporadic violence that has persisted since a bloody 15-year civil war ended in Mozambique in 1992.
Mozambique was Portuguese colony until it gained independence in 1975.