Portugal and Mozambique signed a new parliamentary cooperation protocol in Maputo on Monday, strengthening political dialogue, technical training, and institutional exchange while extending the partnership to areas including artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and the modernisation of legislative services.

According to Lusa, the agreement was signed by the President of the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, and his Mozambican counterpart, Margarida Talapa, during an official visit by the Portuguese parliamentary leader to Mozambique.

Following the signing, Aguiar-Branco underscored the significance of the accord for deepening bilateral relations, noting that despite the existing quality of cooperation, further opportunities for rapprochement remain. "Today marks a great moment in the relationship between the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal and that of Mozambique. It is one more opportunity to strengthen a relationship that is already one of excellence," he said.

According to Aguiar-Branco, the new protocol introduces areas of cooperation considered strategic for the modernisation of parliamentary institutions, with particular emphasis on artificial intelligence and the preservation of digital archives. "A new protocol that also aims to extend the areas of cooperation to matters that are, I would say, as important today as artificial intelligence, as well as archiving and the resilience of digital records and the digital dimension of our parliaments. These are areas that are now being extended in the relationship between Portugal and Mozambique," he explained.

The document establishes cooperation mechanisms designed to strengthen the institutional capacity of both parliaments through bilateral meetings, delegation visits, periodic sessions, and the exchange of experience among parliamentarians, specialised committees, and parliamentary staff. Areas covered include the legislative process, administrative and financial management, the use of new technologies, and efforts to bring parliamentary institutions closer to citizens. The protocol also provides for the sharing of legislative documents, studies, publications, and best practices, with the aim of contributing to the consolidation of democracy and the rule of law.

"The new protocol thus seeks to consolidate existing parliamentary cooperation by introducing new technological and institutional dimensions, while at the same time contributing to the deepening of political, economic, and commercial relations between Mozambique and Portugal."

José Pedro Aguiar-Branco — President of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal

Margarida Talapa, for her part, said the visit by the Portuguese parliamentary president represents the continuity of historical and institutional ties between the two countries, highlighting the importance of technical training in improving parliamentary performance. "We have just signed the protocol between the two parliaments, which is primarily aimed at reinforcing our inter-parliamentary cooperation — through the exchange of delegations at the level of working committees, at the level of members of parliament, but also of staff, particularly in the area of training, so that we can continuously raise our standard of delivery in line with our aspirations as parliamentarians," she said.

Beyond the institutional dimension, Aguiar-Branco called for a deepening of economic, commercial, and cultural relations, arguing that parliaments can play a meaningful role in bringing the two countries closer together. "Whether in the area of the economy, commercial relations, or culture, these are areas in which the Assemblies of the Republic and their members of parliament can help consolidate the exchange between Portugal and Mozambique," he said.

On the same occasion, Margarida Talapa revealed that the Portuguese parliamentary president expressed willingness to continue working with the Portuguese government to encourage Portuguese businesses to keep Mozambique among their investment destinations. The Mozambican leader said this rapprochement could be advanced through the exchange of business delegations and by reinforcing investor confidence in the domestic market.

Talapa also noted that Mozambican President Daniel Chapo has made three visits to Portugal since taking office in January 2025, describing the frequency of contact as a sign of the diplomatic closeness between the two states.