A new agreement for Strategic Cooperation between Mozambique and Portugal was signed, this Monday, and is valued at 80 million euros. The guidelines of the agreement are valid for four years, (2022-2026).

The Strategic Cooperation Program (SGP) for this period received 12 million euros more, compared to the previous one that ends this year, and the amount is expected to increase.

"As soon as our authorities, organizations, civil society and all partners have the capacity to work, we are available to increase this [financial] envelope for the entire period of the program," said Portugal's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in Maputo.

According to Francisco André this indicates the good course of the work. And, on the other hand, he said that the recently approved PEC will cover new areas, keeping, however, education and health as the sectors of greatest budgetary intervention.

The bilateral relationship will devote special attention to the humanitarian crisis in Cabo Delgado, resulting from attacks by armed groups.

Culture, institutional capacity building, humanitarian aid and resilience activities, as well as security cooperation sectors are also part of the plans, following on from what was already being done.

The financial support from the European country to Mozambique follows the line of seeking partnerships, and not as direct aid to the Mozambican State Budget, according to explanations from the Portuguese Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

Recall that in 2016, following the illegal loans (Hidden Debts) of $2.7 billion, which Mozambique made with foreign institutions (Credit Suisse and VTB), several partners, including the European Union (EU) formally suspended direct support to the Mozambican State Budget.

On the cooperation in the next four years, Francisco André left new ideas, noting that the strategy foresees a focus on an "economic transition, doubly green and digital," in which the two countries will collaborate.

And in line with the bumps the two nations' economies have suffered due to the pandemic, the secretary announced a new donation of 200,000 Covid-19 vaccines to Mozambique, with delivery scheduled for December 10. Portugal has already delivered 547,000 vaccines as part of its bilateral commitment to the country.