The Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Francisco André, said Monday that the Strategic Cooperation Program 2022-2026 with Mozambique will focus on "stimulating" the post-pandemic recovery, giving expression to the "excellent bilateral relationship".

Francisco André pointed out the priorities for the next framework cooperation agreement between Portugal and Mozambique, in a statement he read to the press, after a meeting with the Mozambican deputy minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Manuel Gonçalves.

The relations between the two countries, he continued, will involve "fighting this covid-19 pandemic and also in the stimulus that will be needed there for recovery" from the impact of the pandemic.

Francisco André pointed out education, health, justice, and human development as areas that will deserve special attention in the Strategic Cooperation Program 2022-2026.

The program should be signed at the bilateral summit to be held by the end of this year, at a date and place yet to be determined, the minister added.

"We hope that [the summit] will have concrete results, above all that it will have results that are ambitious and of common interest to both countries," the Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation said.

Francisco André has been in Mozambique since Saturday on a four-day working visit.