Portuguese president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa visits EU training mission in Mozambique

Portuguese president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, wrapped up a three-day trip to Mozambique on Sunday with a visit to two units of the European Union traning mission in the country.

During the visit, Rebelo de Sousa said that resolving the conflict in Cabo Delgado, in the north of Mozambique, remained a priority for Portugal and the European Union.

Rebelo de Sousa stressed the need for Mozambique to guarantee the security of the populations and the defeat of terrorism.

“Essa vitória é uma vitória militar, por um lado, mas também uma vitória económica, uma vitória social, uma vitória humana. A vitória total significa permitir que as populações possam desenvolver a sua atividade, normalmente, não ficando condicionadas pela existência de terrorismo”, said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

Since 2017 that the province of Cabo Delgado, rich in natural gas, has been plagued by armed groups, some with alleged links to the self-procalimed Islamic State.

The Portuguese head of state assured that as soon as the new Executive led by PM António Costa takes office, the long promised bilateral summit between the two countries, postponed due to elections in Portugal, will be finally scheduled.

Before leaving, Rebelo de Sousa promised he would return to Mozambique in August for the reopening of the Quelimane cathedral in Zambezia province.