Maputo, July 14, 2026 (Lusa) - The president of Mozambique, Daniel Chapo, expects the first disbursements from the €500 million funding package for Portuguese companies in Mozambique to take place in the second half of the year, highlighting Portugal as the country’s “strategic partner”.
“We are working towards this, so that during the second half of this year the funds can be disbursed and the projects that have been defined can actually get underway,” Daniel Chapo, who is leaving for Lisbon on Tuesday for an official visit, said in an interview with Lusa, describing the current relations between the two countries as “excellent”.
In Portugal, Daniel Chapo will take part on Wednesday in the EurAfrican Forum in Cascais, organised by the Portuguese Diaspora Council, alongside the Portuguese President, António José Seguro.
On 9 December 2022, in Porto, Portugal and Mozambique signed 22 legal instruments on cooperation during the sixth bilateral summit, including an addendum to the 2022–2026 Strategic Cooperation Programme between the two governments.
The two countries also signed a protocol to make available a €500 million credit line for guarantees for projects supporting Mozambique’s sustainable development, accessible to Portuguese companies operating in the African country.
According to Chapo, there are “a few more steps” to take to make the credit line operational, with teams from both countries working to make the funds available.
“We have submitted the projects to be carried out in Mozambique. As you know, the credit line has a specific objective, which is to finance Portuguese companies that are investing in Mozambique and carrying out projects there; we have now completed this work, submitted the projects and are currently awaiting their approval so that the credit line can actually be put into effect in Mozambique,” he added.
“So far, we are satisfied with the steps taken. It is work that is being carried out and has been done very well,” he stated.
Depending on how this process unfolds, Chapo said, the possible need to increase the allocation to support Mozambique’s development will be assessed.
“As with any other project, there will be a need for evaluation and monitoring, so that a decision can be made on that basis. The other extremely important aspect which both I and Prime Minister Montenegro referred to when the credit line was announced is the need to honour payments. This is one of the key factors in assessing whether an increase is necessary,” he explained.
In the interview, Chapo emphasised that “diplomatic and political relations between Mozambique and Portugal are excellent”, and that “significant” steps have recently been taken in economic and trade relations.
“Portugal is one of Mozambique’s key strategic partners for economic and social development, and we believe we need to further strengthen our economic and trade relations. And this is an aspect which, as you will have noticed during our recent visits to Portugal, we have been focusing our attention on,” noted the Head of State.
He emphasised that the invitation from his Portuguese counterpart to attend the EurAfrican Forum, issued precisely on the day marking 1.5 years in office, is “an unequivocal sign of the excellent relations” between the two countries.
“Our countries need to grow; they need to develop. Both the Portuguese and Mozambique governments need to create better living conditions for their people. That is why we believe it is extremely important to turn our attention to our economic and trade relations, which are also excellent. But we can continue to improve them further,” he concluded.
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