Maputo, Dec. 2, 2025 (Lusa) - Mozambique on Tuesday expressed interest in working with South Africa to find ‘sustainable solutions’ to the number of Mozambicans residing in that country, to prevent Mozambicans from becoming a burden on their neighbour.
"It has not been an easy situation. We know that South Africa welcomes all citizens from the African continent and from around the world. Still, we wanted to thank them and say that, as Mozambique, we are ready to work with South Africa to find sustainable solutions so that this issue is not a burden on South Africa. Still, a shared responsibility," said the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Maria Lucas.
The Mozambican minister was speaking at the opening of the fourth Mozambique-South Africa joint meeting in Maputo, during the South African head of state's two-day visit to the country, in which she thanked the neighbouring country for welcoming the largest number of Mozambicans abroad.
‘We want to thank South Africa for welcoming our fellow citizens. We have our Mozambicans in South Africa, and South Africa has done everything it can to accept our Mozambicans,’ said Minister Maria Lucas.
According to data from the Mozambican migration service, reported by Lusa on 11 August, 5,070 Mozambicans were deported by South Africa in the first half of the year, an increase of 18% compared to the same period in 2024.
In the same statement, Maria Lucas called for progress in implementing the bilateral agreements already signed between the two countries, appealing for strengthened cooperation in security, which she considered essential to the defence of common borders.
‘In terms of defence and security, we understand that we need to constantly improve our strategies to ensure the security of our common borders and the safety of our citizens,’ said Mozambique's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
‘Our vision is that if Mozambique is safe, South Africa will also be safe. Improving information exchange, training and exercises can play a key role in enabling our countries to prevent certain threats to our mutual security,’ she added.
For his part, South Africa's Minister of International Relations and South African Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, said that the current goal is to ensure that the agreements have a direct impact on the lives of the populations, praising advances in trade relations between the two states, in which, he said, he wants to see Mozambique increase the volume of exports to its neighbour.
"We are linked to many of our companies operating in various sectors of the Mozambican economy. These ventures and operations have created jobs, transferred knowledge and generated revenue. It is important to emphasise the centrality of energy security for South Africa, Mozambique, and the Southern African region as a whole. For decades, Mozambique has contributed to South Africa's energy security through a predictable and secure supply of electricity and gas," said the minister.
Ronald Lamola stressed that South Africa wants to further cooperate in the infrastructure sectors, especially land and rail, promising to continue supporting the country in the fight against terrorism in the Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado and in mitigating the extreme weather events the country has been experiencing in recent years.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa begins a two-day working visit to Mozambique today.
On Wednesday, the two heads of state will attend the inauguration of the domestic gas factory, the first in Mozambique, in the southern province of Inhambane, where a business forum will also be held.
PME/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
