Mozambique: Portugal reiterates support for fight against terrorism – AIM report

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Mozambique: Portugal reiterates support for fight against terrorism – AIM report

5:41 CAT | 02 Dec 2020

Maria Amélia Paiva told reporters that a Portuguese delegation is expected to arrive in Maputo next week to discuss the exact nature of Portugal’s support for Mozambique’s anti-terrorist efforts. [Photo: Embaixada de Portugal em Maputo]

The Portuguese ambassador to Mozambique, Maria Amelia Paiva, on Wednesday reiterated Portugal’s support to the fight against terrorism in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.

Speaking during a visit to Mozambique Island, off the coast of the neighbouring province of Nampula, she told reporters that a Portuguese delegation is expected to arrive in Maputo next week to discuss the exact nature of Portugal’s support for Mozambique’s anti-terrorist efforts.

After meeting the Secretary of State for Nampula, Mety Gondola, Paiva said that, in the meeting with the Portuguese delegation, “we are sure that more specific requests will be made. So we are waiting for everything in the coming days”.

She noted that the situation in Cabo Delgado is now on the agenda of the European parliament: the parliament’s foreign affairs committee is due to discuss Cabo Delgado on Wednesday, and Paiva believed that Portuguese deputies could take some credit for this.

“Portuguese deputies from the various political party groups have been very dynamic in drawing attention to the problems happening in Cabo Delgado, including the urgent need for humanitarian assistance”, she said.

Portugal, she continued, “has a very special relationship with Mozambique and we are following with great concern the acts of violence and terrorist attacks”.

“There’s enormous solidarity on the part of the Portuguese deputies in the European parliament”, she added, “and the matter is accompanied by parliamentarians of various other nationalities. There is great concern about what is going on in Cabo Delgado, and an enormous willingness to help”.

“The European Union has supported the humanitarian response to the tune of 50 million euros (about 60 million US dollars)”, said Paiva. “But all of us, at bilateral level and in the United Nations agencies have been making financial contributions and taking other concrete forms of solidarity with the people of Cabo Delgado”.

Source: AIM