Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced stronger bilateral cooperation with Mozambique in strategic sectors, adding that bilateral trade nearly doubled between January and August this year, during a meeting in Moscow with his Mozambican counterpart.

“Trade and economic interaction is getting stronger. Our trade nearly doubled in January through August,” the Russian head of state said as he opened the meeting with the delegation led by Daniel Chapo, on the sidelines of the 8th Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Summit, on Tuesday.

Quoted in statements released by Russian diplomatic channels, Putin said the two countries shared a commitment to deepening bilateral ties and highlighted the development of economic relations.

According to Putin, relations between the two countries are based on a “long-standing friendship and cooperation” dating back to Mozambique’s struggle for independence. He recalled that last year marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

The Russian president also highlighted the development of political and parliamentary contacts, referring to the participation of delegations of Mozambican parliamentarians in an observation mission for elections to the Russian State Duma in September.

Putin also stressed the strengthening of cooperation in education and training, pointing to an increase in the number of places for Mozambican students at Russian universities funded by the federal budget, and the training of Mozambican civil servants in Russia for the first time this year.

The Russian leader also guaranteed the continuation of humanitarian assistance to the African country, recalling the aid sent by the Russian authorities following the floods during Mozambique’s last rainy season.

On the international stage, he thanked Mozambique for supporting various Russian initiatives in multilateral forums, particularly at the United Nations, and praised what he described as Mozambique’s rejection of “objectionable Russophobic actions”.

In a summary published on his official Facebook page, Daniel Chapo said he had agreed with Putin to deepen economic and trade cooperation in areas including energy, mining, agriculture, transport, education, science and information technology.

Photo: Presidência da República de Moçambique

“We also discussed the training of personnel and the strengthening of national capacities in the defence and security sectors,” the Mozambican president wrote.

In the same message, Chapo said Mozambique intended to turn its partnership with Russia, maintained for more than five decades, into “concrete opportunities for the development of [its] country and the well-being of the Mozambican people”.

The meeting took place during Daniel Chapo’s visit to Moscow to attend the 8th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), an event that brings together some of the world’s leading natural gas producers and exporters.