Japan-Mozambique Relations

On December 11, commencing at around 11:00 a.m. (local time; 6:00 p.m. JST) for approximately one and a half hours, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who was visiting Mozambique, held a Japan-Mozambique Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and a working lunch with H.E. Ms. Verónica Nataniel MACAMO Dlhovo, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Mozambique, for approximately 1 hour. The overview is as follows.

1. Minister Motegi expressed his intention to support Mozambique’s economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19 through the dispatch of a Public-Private Sector Joint Mission in February 2021, noting the Japanese business community’s high interest in Mozambique’s potential with its rich natural resources including natural gas or coal. In response, Minister Macamo welcomed the minister’s visit to Mozambique as his first visit to Africa as the Foreign Minister, appreciated his decision to send a Public-Private Sector Joint Mission, and expressed her hope to further strengthen trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges between Japan and Mozambique.
2. Minister Motegi requested further efforts by the Government of Mozambique to improve the security situation in the Cabo Delgado Province, and referred to Japan’s support to realize regional peace and stability through such as support aid for internally displaced people.
   Minister Macamo expressed her deep gratitude for the support extended by Japan. Minister Macamo renewed her intention to take all possible measures to strengthen security measures to stabilize the situation in the Cabo Delgado Province as the Government of Mozambique.
3. Minister Motegi expressed his willingness to continue to cooperate with Mozambique toward maintenance and the enhancement of maritime order based on the rule of law. Minister Macamo stated that Mozambique would closely collaborate with Japan to achieve a “free and open Indo-Pacific.”
   The Ministers confirmed that Japan and Mozambique would also closely cooperate towards TICAD8, building on Japan’s history of cooperation in the fields of health through TICAD.
4. The Ministers exchanged views on various issues including the United Nations Security Council Reform, the situation of North Korea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea, and shared views on continuing close cooperation. Minister Motegi also asked for understanding and cooperation toward the early resolution of the abductions issue [and obtained support from Minister Macamo.
5. Following the meeting, the two Ministers signed and exchanged notes for three grant aid projects, namely: the Project for the Construction of Rural Water Supply Facility in Niassa Province; the Economic and Social Development Programme for providing heavy equipment to the Hulene waste disposal site; and assistance for providing rescue equipment maritime accidents off the coast of the Cabo Delgado Province. The two Ministers also hold two handover ceremonies: one for grant aid for food assistance through the World Food Program; and the other for emergency grant aid for supply assistance in responding to the humanitarian crisis in the Cabo Delgado Province and its neighboring regions.