Russia and Mozambique have reinforced their defence cooperation following a high-level meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers in Moscow on Tuesday.
Mozambique’s Foreign Minister, Maria Manuela Lucas, while expressing concern over the ongoing war in Ukraine, praised the resilience of the Russian people. She noted that her country had been closely monitoring the conflict and emphasized the importance of a peaceful resolution.
“We would very much like for this matter to be resolved in a peaceful way,” Lucas said, also drawing attention to the war’s impact on food security across Africa.
Her visit came a day before another round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Lucas expressed hope for a positive outcome from the negotiations.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov used the occasion to reiterate Moscow’s commitment to bolstering Mozambique’s defence capabilities.
“We have confirmed our readiness to consider all requests from our friends in Mozambique regarding the strengthening of their defence capacity and anti-terrorism efforts,” Lavrov stated, noting ongoing threats in Mozambique and other African nations.
Russia and Mozambique have deepened their military cooperation in recent years. In 2019, Mozambique enlisted the services of the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company, to support its fight against Islamist insurgents in the north.
Additionally, a 2020 report by German intelligence indicated that Russia was exploring the possibility of establishing a military base in Mozambique, highlighting the strategic importance of their defence partnership.
