The Portuguese Prime Minister, António Costa, ends today his two-day official visit to Mozambique for the 5th Luso-Moçambican Summit, with a program mainly dedicated to the economy.

According to Lusa, the second and last day of the visit begins with a visit to FACIM (Maputo International Fair), with special attention to Portuguese exhibitors.

The Prime Minister of Portugal will then speak at 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 investment in Portuguese-speaking African Countries (PALOP) and also the memorandum of understanding for the review of the Business Fund of Portuguese Cooperation, according to a government source told Lusa news agency.

Companies such as Galp, Mota-Engil, Visabeira and REN will also sign "cooperation instruments in the areas of professional training and energy, thus contributing to Portugal's efforts to develop Mozambique," the same source said.

The Business and Investment Forum "is based on promoting and enabling opportunities, investments and partnerships" and "will provide 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 economy of the sea, financial services, infrastructure and logistics, and agribusiness.

Also during the morning, the Prime Minister's program includes visits to the Marine School in Catembe and to the Independent Marine Company to accompany the Portuguese soldiers who are training the Mozambican forces as part of the European Union mission.

After lunch with Mozambican personalities at the Portuguese embassy in Maputo, António Costa meets with Portuguese businessmen, then goes to the Portuguese school where he will meet the Portuguese community in Mozambique and inaugurate the cafeteria.

The program of the visit ends with a rewarding dinner offered by the Prime Minister to the President of the Republic.

António Costa arrived in Maputo on Wednesday evening and met with the President of the Republic on Thursday morning. At the end of this meeting and the extended meeting with delegations 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 forces and services.

The Portuguese Prime Minister highlighted the strengthening of relations between the two countries and also announced an increase of 40% in the funds earmarked for projects under the Strategic Cooperation Program with Mozambique, which represent more than 90 million euros out of a total of 185 million euros.

For his part, the President of the Republic thanked Portugal for its support, for example in 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 will take place in Portugal, without specifying, however, a date.

António Costa was accompanied on this visit by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, of National Defense, Helena Carreiras, and of Agriculture and Food, Maria do Céu Antunes.