India’s Modi foresees close collaboration with new President of Mozambique

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

India’s Modi foresees close collaboration with new President of Mozambique

1:49 CAT | 14 Jan 2025

File photo: Lusa

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expects to work “closely” with the new President of Mozambique, Daniel Chapo, to strengthen the historic relations between the two countries.

“India and Mozambique share a long-standing relationship, rooted in strong and vibrant people-to-people ties. Over the years, our partnership has grown in all areas, to the mutual benefit of our people,” Modi said in a letter sent to Daniel Chapo, on the occasion of his inauguration as the fifth President of the Republic, scheduled for Wednesday.

In the letter, to which Lusa had access today, Modi recalls “with affection” the visit he made to Maputo in 2016, which was also his first as prime minister of India to continental Africa, and says he is “eager to work closely” with the new Mozambican head of state “to further strengthen the bonds of friendship and collaboration” between the two countries.

India is one of Mozambique’s main economic partners. In the first half of last year it purchased US$763.2 million (€747.1 million) in goods and services from the country – mainly natural gas and coal, but also dried pulses and cashew nuts – the equivalent to 19.8% of Mozambican exports in six months, according to data from a report on foreign trade.

At least 2,500 people are expected to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new Mozambican president, Daniel Chapo, a candidate supported by the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) in the general elections on October 9, but the presence of invited heads of state has yet to be confirmed.

The vice-president of the Interministerial Commission for Major Events, Eldevina Materula, said on Friday that invitations to international organizations had been sent out that day and that they expected to receive confirmations in the following days.

“We sent invitations to the entire Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union and some European heads of state,” including Portugal, Metrula said at the time.

Portugal will be represented at the inauguration of Daniel Chapo as the new President of Mozambique by its Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel.

The Constitutional Council (CC) of Mozambique has officially set January 15 as the date for the inauguration of the new President of the Republic, who will succeed Filipe Nyusi.

The CC, the final court of appeal in electoral disputes, proclaimed Frelimo candidate Daniel Chapo the winner of the election for President of the Republic, with 65.17% of the votes, succeeding Filipe Nyusi in office. It also proclaimed the victory of Frelimo, which maintained its parliamentary majority, in the general elections of October 9.

Chapo’s election has been contested in the streets and the announcement by the CC has increased the chaos that the country has been experiencing since October, with demonstrators in favour of Venâncio Mondlane – who, according to the Constitutional Council, obtained only 24% of the votes but nevertheless continues to claim victory – in protests demanding the “reestablishment of the electoral truth”, with looting and clashes with the police, who have fired shots in an attempt to quell the movement.

Clashes between police and protesters have already left almost 300 people dead and more than 600 people injured by gunshots, according to civil society organizations following the process.

In addition to Venâncio Mondlane, supported by the Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos), Daniel Chapo faced Ossufo Momade (who obtained 6.62%), leader and supported by the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), until now the main opposition force, and Lutero Simango (who obtained 4.02%), supported by the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM).

Source: Lusa