Portugal’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Nuno Sampaio, said on Wednesday (23) that his country is available to support institutional reforms in Mozambican President Daniel Chapo’s new cycle of governance.
‘The Government of Portugal wants to reiterate its full support for Mozambique’s development and its full hope in the new cycle, as well as in the intensification of relations between the two countries. On a technical level, we are prepared to be a strategic partner for the current executive,’ he said.
Speaking after a meeting in Maputo with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Mozambican Communities Abroad, Maria Manso, the Portuguese leader emphasised that strengthening cooperation in the areas of culture, education and health is also a priority, saying that there are 500 Portuguese companies operating in the country.
‘The Mozambican government is keen to strengthen its excellent economic and business relations, and Portugal is ready to do so, since they are nations that share the same language and have ties of solidarity,’ he said.
Nuno Sampaio is in the country for a working visit that ends on Friday 25 April. As well as meetings with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, he is scheduled to meet with the Mozambican Minister of Education and Culture, Samaria Tovela, and with the European Union delegation in Mozambique.
Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Nuno Sampaio
The new Mozambican government took office in January, following the general elections of 9 October 2024, which were marked by the worst contestation of the results the country has seen since the first multi-party elections in 1994.
The protests, led by former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, led to the deaths of 390 people in direct clashes between civilians and the police, according to non-governmental organisations that monitored the electoral process.
In April, Parliament unanimously, acclamatorily and definitively approved the political agreement law to pacify the country, including the revision of the Mozambican President’s Constitution and the President’s powers. The law, approved by the four caucuses that make up the Mozambican parliament, is based on the agreement between the head of state, Daniel Chapo, and all the political parties, signed on 5 March and submitted to the Assembly of the Republic for urgent consideration.
Meanwhile, on 23 March, Venâncio Mondlane and Daniel Chapo met for the first time and a commitment was made to stop the violence in the country.
