The decision was taken during a lunch that brought together the Portuguese Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, and the French President, Emmanuel Macron, at the Élysée Palace in Paris, which aimed to deepen bilateral relations between the two countries.

According to a source from Montenegro's office, the objective is to start "a new cycle" in the relationship between Portugal and France, by holding bilateral meetings more regularly.

The two countries will now work on a "friendship treaty" to boost the sharing of knowledge and information "in the most varied sectoral areas".

France already has bilateral strategic treaties with countries such as Spain, Italy, and Germany and will also have them in the future with Portugal, the same source told Lusa.

In addition to the treaties, Montenegro and Macron also agreed to hold bilateral meetings "more regularly" in order to increase relations between the two countries.

The source from Montenegro's office recalled the importance of the Portuguese community in France, although highlighting that it has no practical translation into the relationship between the two countries, a situation that the Portuguese Government now intends to reverse.

Luís Montenegro expressed his commitment to strengthening the relationship between the two countries, highlighting European agendas, but also the influence in Africa, which they both share.