The defense ministers of Mozambique, Cristóvão Chume, and Tanzania, Stergomena Tax, are chairing a four-day meeting, from today until Friday in Maputo, where they will discuss military cooperation between the nations.

In this fourth session of the Permanent Joint Commission on Defense and Security, specialists from both countries will also be present to evaluate the work developed by both parties.

In addition, the meeting will serve to project future work in the fields of Defense, Public Security and State Security "as well as improve cooperation mechanisms."

Mozambique and Tanzania signed on Wednesday last week two memorandums of understanding, one in the area of defense and the other on rescue and salvage operations. The memorandums were signed in the presence of presidents Filipe Nyusi, of Mozambique, and Samia Suluhu, of Tanzania.

According to Filipe Nyusi's explanations, the two agreements - where the second complements the first - are about fighting terrorism in Cabo Delgado province because it borders Tanzania.

"We are aware that Mozambique and Tanzania share an extensive border, it is about 800 kilometers, the longest in the region. Therefore, we are aware that we have to strengthen the mechanisms of our cooperation," said Samia Suhulu, during his visit to Maputo.

Tanzania is one of the countries that is part of SAMIM, the military mission of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), with soldiers supporting Mozambican troops fighting the armed insurgency.

Despite this contribution, according to Nyusi, like Rwanda, Mozambique may receive Tanzanian troops for the same purpose, within the framework of bilateral cooperation.