The President of the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, reiterated Portugal's solidarity with Mozambique in the face of the terrorist threat in Cabo Delgado during a visit to Maputo, calling for stronger political dialogue and parliamentary cooperation to consolidate democracy and promote peace, according to the Mozambique Information Agency.

Speaking on Monday, 9 November, before members of the Mozambican Assembly of the Republic during a solemn session held as part of his official visit to the country, Aguiar-Branco argued that parliaments must play an active role in building consensus and managing political and social differences peacefully.

The parliamentary leader stated that divergences are part of every society and must find expression within democratic institutions, and that it falls to elected representatives to promote dialogue and seek solutions through mutual understanding.

"Parliaments are not the cause of social diversity, they are not the cause of polarisation or divisions. Divisions exist, differences exist in society, and parliaments merely reflect and are a consequence of those differences," he said.

Aguiar-Branco further argued that representatives of the people must overcome mistrust and work together, stressing that politics must contribute to conflict prevention and the promotion of peace.

Solidarity with Cabo Delgado

On the security situation in Cabo Delgado, the President of the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic condemned extremism and terrorism and expressed solidarity with the Mozambican people and authorities.

He assured that the Portuguese parliament will continue to draw international attention to the situation in the province with a view to restoring peace.

"I express, on behalf of Portugal, our full solidarity with the Mozambican people and with the authorities of this country. On our part, in the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic, we will continue to draw attention to Cabo Delgado in international forums, so that peace may return to Cabo Delgado," he stated.

Parliamentary Cooperation and Bilateral Relations

On bilateral relations, Aguiar-Branco highlighted the historical, cultural, linguistic and human ties between the two countries, as well as the contribution of their respective communities to each other's development.

He revealed that approximately 500 Portuguese companies currently operate in Mozambique, contributing to job creation and professional training.

On the cultural front, he praised the contribution of Mozambican writers and artists to the Portuguese language and shared culture, citing Mia Couto, Paulina Chiziane, Roberto Chichorro and Malangatana.

"Every word imagined by Mia Couto expands our common lexicon. Every book published by Paulina Chiziane, or every painting by Roberto Chichorro or Malangatana, extends the horizon of our culture," he said.

On the institutional front, he announced the strengthening of cooperation between the two parliaments through a new protocol designed to facilitate exchanges between legislators and parliamentary services.

The agreement envisages the sharing of experiences on the functioning of working committees, the use of artificial intelligence, and the development of mechanisms to bring institutions closer to citizens.

Aguiar-Branco also expressed interest in deepening collaboration in international parliamentary forums, with particular emphasis on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), which marks its 30th anniversary in 2026.

In this context, he stated that Portugal intends to build on the work carried out by Mozambique when Portugal assumes the presidency of that body in 2027.

The official visit by José Pedro Aguiar-Branco to Mozambique takes place within the framework of the 4th Ordinary Session of the 10th Legislature of the Assembly of the Republic.