When, how and why did Mozambique become a member of the Commonwealth?
Mozambique didn’t become a member of the British Commonwealth until 1995. It is unique in this respect because it was the only country in the Commonwealth which wasn’t under some form of British control in the past. It was a former Portuguese colony that became independent in 1975. Why did it become a member? Hmmm, well there were several factors really. 1) All the nations surrounding Mozambique were members of the Commonwealth (although Zimbabwe is no longer a member at the moment due to Robert Mugabe), so they had lots of cultural and trading links with Mozambique which could be enhanced by Commonwealth membership. 2) Mozambique had it’s first democratic election in 1994, which was an important factor in qualifying for entry. 3) Mozambique was very helpful in the struggle against white rule in neighboring Rhodesia / Zimbabwe and South Africa. This was a big factor after Robert Mugabe and Nelson Mandela were elected as leaders in those respective countries. The election of Mandela and
