The second
and last day of the visit starts with a visit to FACIM (Maputo International
Fair), with special attention to the Portuguese exhibitors.
The prime
minister will then take part in the opening of the Business and Investment
Forum, together with Filipe Nyusi, followed by the signing of nine agreements,
including the "Lusophone Compact", which provides guarantees of 400
million euros from the Portuguese state for investments in Portuguese-speaking
African Countries (PALOP) and also the memorandum of understanding for the
review of the Business Fund for Portuguese Cooperation, a government source
told Lusa news agency.
Companies
such as Galp, Mota-Engil, Visabeira and REN will also sign "cooperation in
the areas of vocational training and energy, thus contributing to Portugal's
efforts in the development of Mozambique," the source noted.
The
Business and Investment Forum "is based on promoting and enabling
opportunities, investments and partnerships" and "will be a unique
opportunity to affirm the fundamental role of the economic dimension in
building the strategic partnership between Portugal and Mozambique," with
the priority sectors being the maritime economy, financial services, infrastructure
and logistics or agribusiness.
The Prime
Minister's program includes visits to the Marine Corps School in Catembe and to
the Independent Marine Company to accompany Portuguese soldiers who are
training Mozambican forces as part of the European Union mission. After lunch
with Mozambican officials at the Portuguese embassy in Maputo, António Costa
will meet with Portuguese individuals from the business sector, then he will
make a visit to the Portuguese school where he will meet the community in
Mozambique and inaugurate the canteen.
António
Costa arrived in Maputo on Wednesday evening and met on Thursday morning with
the President of the Republic of Mozambique. At the end of this meeting and the
extended meeting with delegates from both countries, several bilateral
cooperation agreements were signed in areas such as agriculture, education,
heritage rehabilitation, justice and at the level of technical and operational
skills of the Mozambican security force and services.
The Prime
Minister highlighted the strengthening of relations between the two countries
and also announced a 40 percent increase in funds allocated to projects under
the Strategic Cooperation Program with Mozambique, representing over 90 million
euros out of a total of 185 million euros.
The
President of the Republic of Mozambique thanked Portugal for its support,
mentioning in particular the fight against terrorism and the covid-19 pandemic.
Filipe
Nyusi highlighted the success of this bilateral summit and announced that the
next meeting between the two countries would take place in Portugal, without
specifying a date.