Portugal has already supported this year the training of two companies of the Special Forces of Mozambique, mobilizing 60 soldiers to Mozambique, the Ministry of National Defense (MDN) disclosed on Friday.

At issue is the training of the Mozambique Navy's company of Marines, in Katembe, which ended on September 10, and the Army's company of Special Hunters, in Chimoio, which ended on Friday.

The training of these first two companies of Special Forces of the Armed Defense Forces of Mozambique (FADM) was done under the so-called "Project 6" of Cooperation in the Field of Defense (CDD), aimed at training and building the capacity of the FADM to combat terrorism, explains the MDN, in a statement.

The note mentions that to develop Project 6, which initially provided for the training of 11 companies of Special Forces (Marines and Commandos), Portugal made available 60 military personnel in Mozambique, triple the number of military personnel assigned to the other five CDD projects, and quadrupled the presence of Portuguese advisors in the country.

"This strengthening of bilateral cooperation was reflected in the new Framework Program for the period 2021-2026, signed by the defense ministers of Portugal and Mozambique in May 2021," explains the note.

The project involved an annual investment by the MDN of more than three million euros.

"Having concluded the training of these first two companies, the intervention of the Portuguese military advisory service will now proceed within the framework of the European Union Training Mission in Mozambique (EUTM - European Union Training Mission Mozambique), with other capabilities and equipment.

Lusa Agency