The heads of diplomacy of Mozambique and Spain expressed their intention to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, highlighting the areas of fisheries and tourism as priorities, according to the Mozambican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
The official statement was released today in Maputo, following the meeting held on Monday in Madrid between the head of Mozambican diplomacy, Verónica Macamo, and the Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, to discuss strengthening co-operation between the two countries.
‘Macamo and Albares held talks on co-operation in the fields of health, fisheries, tourism, culture and the promotion of the Spanish language in Mozambique,’ said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation in Maputo.
The two leaders also discussed the 9th Session of the Joint Mozambique-Spain Commission, which will take place in November 2024 in Maputo, to analyse cooperation actions for the period 2025 to 2029.
‘Minister Macamo thanked Spain for its assistance in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado, materialised through humanitarian assistance, as well as Spain’s contribution to the European Union’s Military Training Mission,’ the note concludes.
On Monday, at the end of the meeting, the Spanish government reiterated its commitment to the fight against terrorism in Mozambique and expressed its intention to revitalise the malaria vaccine research centre in Manhiça.
In the statement issued, the Spanish government said that the meeting was aimed at ‘boosting relations between the two countries’ and ‘identifying new areas of cooperation’, emphasising the ‘excellent relations’ that cover various areas, with Albares reinforcing the ‘will to increase development cooperation with Mozambique’.
‘This will necessarily involve revitalising the Manhiça International Health Centre (CISM), the emblem of Spanish cooperation in Mozambique, which requires action to once again become the pioneering centre of excellence in malaria vaccine research,’ reads the Spanish MFA statement, which does not provide further details on this subject.
With regard to ‘cultural, educational and scientific’ relations, the Madrid government emphasised that they are of ‘great interest’ to both countries and highlighted that ‘Spain promotes cultural development through numerous projects in various regions of Mozambique’, with Albares recalling ‘the growing interest in the Spanish language and culture in the country’ or the 20 or so Spanish researchers who are part of the Association of Spanish Scientists in Southern Africa.
In this regard, the Spanish government emphasised that, however, ‘the deepening of scientific diplomacy requires greater flexibility in obtaining short and long-term work visas, both for researchers and for development co-operators’.
In addition to co-operation at government and public administration level, the Spanish government said in the same statement that approved investment is also fundamental for Mozambique’s development.
‘In this regard, Albares described the energy transition plan proposed by Mozambique as positive and emphasised the presence of Spanish companies in the electricity sector in Mozambique. He also conveyed the growing interest of Spanish companies in continuing to invest,’ the government said in the same statement.
The Mozambican Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation began a five-day working visit to Spain on Sunday with the aim of strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly in humanitarian assistance and security, according to an official note sent to the Lusa news agency.
Lusa
