Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias’ statements following his meeting with Prime Minister of Mozambique, Adriano Afonso Maleiane (Maputo, 25.01.2023)

It is the first visit of a Greek Foreign Minister in Mozambique. And I would like to take this opportunity to say how happy and proud I am to be here today and initiate the dialogue between our two countries. The signing today of the Memorandum on Political Consultations is an important step towards deepening our relations.

Also, I would like to congratulate you on your current membership of the UN Security Council for the period 2023-24. I'd say that we highly appreciate, also, the commitment of Mozambique to support our candidacy for the UN Security Council for the period 2025-26. From our part, we were highly supportive of your candidacy for the UN Security Council for which we are so happy that you were elected.

Greece has a long and valued partnership with countries of the African continent. We are looking forward to dealing with the many challenges, for example climate change, aggression, terrorism, together. Africa is a very important continent for us.

We will be very happy to cooperate more with Mozambique on energy matters, shipping, water management and, also, we will try to facilitate Greek investments in Mozambique.

Also, we are happy that Mozambique has ratified UNCLOS, the International Convention on the Law of the Sea, and is a member of the club of Friends of UNCLOS.

Also, Greece is an important contributor to the European effort to support the Mozambique Armed Forces in the framework of the EU Training Mission. And, also, Greece supports the common effort made by the EU in Mozambique to, really, restore peace and stability in Cabo Delgado.

We have made, also, a donation in order to facilitate vocational training of the young generation in Cabo Delgado.

And I have to say that I was very honoured to be received by the Prime Minister and also initiate close contacts between my Government, the Government of Prime Minister Mitsotakis, and the Government of Mozambique.

I very much hope that this visit will be the opening phase of close contacts between our Governments and our people.

Thank you so much.

ΔΗΜΟΣΙΟΓΡΑΦΟΣ: Τι σημαίνει ακριβώς αυτό το Μνημόνιο Κατανόησης και τι άλλο μπορούμε να περιμένουμε από την Ελλάδα ως νέες δραστηριότητες που μπορούν να έρθουν μέσω του Μνημονίου ξεχωριστά.

Ν.ΔΕΝΔΙΑΣ: First of all, the Memorandum on Political Consultations is the framework, it structures the cooperation between the two Governments. It provides committees on high level between the Governments and also of middle level so that we have to create a common ground of understanding of the challenges we are facing. This is basic in the relation between two countries. If this Memorandum has not existed, then there is no structure for the exchange of discussions.

The second one has to do with the future. Greece is here not just to do a small donation, a symbolic donation today. What we are trying to do is to facilitate the Greek and the European presence in the future of Mozambique, and to participate also in creating a success case for Mozambique in the future. So, what we are trying to do the next days is to try to create a forum for Greek enterprises to come and see how they could be a part of Mozambique's economic future by investing in Mozambique. And, generally, to facilitate the relation between Mozambique and the European Union.

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