Mozambican president planning Russia visit – FM

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey has also confirmed his intention to return to Maputo

Mozambican President Daniel Chapo is planning to visit Russia, the country’s foreign minister, Maria Manuela Lucas, announced during a press conference following talks with her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow on Tuesday. Chapo took office as leader of the southeast African nation in January. 

Lavrov confirmed that he would also visit Maputo in return. Lavrov’s most recent visit to Mozambique took place in 2018. The two nations officially established diplomatic ties in 1975.

“Madam Minister kindly invited me to once again visit hospitable Maputo. I will certainly do so,” Lavrov said during the joint briefing.

Mozambique is seeking Russian expertise in several strategic sectors. Lucas highlighted fishing and maritime development as a priority, given the country’s long Indian Ocean coastline and underdeveloped fisheries sector.

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“Russia has a vast experience in the field of fisheries development and development of water resources,” Lucas said. “We would like to develop cooperation in the field of the industrialization of our country, we would like to use the support and the experience of Russia.”

In recent months, Russia has supplied more than 70,000 tons of grain to Mozambique, according to Lucas. She added that her country also wants to diversify foreign partnerships in the extractives sector, particularly in natural gas.

“We asked Minister Lavrov to support large companies from Russia that are engaged in oil and gas extraction and would like to enter the Mozambican market,” she stated.

Education was another focus of the talks. Lavrov said 75 Mozambican students are currently enrolled in Russian universities under a government quota – and that Moscow is prepared to offer more slots in the future. “We are ready to give more,” Lavrov noted.

The Russian diplomat also highlighted the role of alternative financial systems in Moscow’s engagement with Africa, saying that mechanisms using national currencies were already in use and steadily improving.

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“These mechanisms have been functioning for quite some time and continue to improve, primarily involving the broader use of national currencies – but not exclusively,” Lavrov said, describing them as part of a broader effort to shield trade from Western-controlled financial institutions.