The stability currently being enjoyed by Angola with the end of decades of armed conflict is a guarantee for the strengthening of the relations of friendship and cooperation with Mozambique, said recently Angolan ambassador to that African country of the Indian Ocean, Garcia Bires.
Speaking to journalists in Maputo, the diplomat said that the relations between Angola and Mozambique tend to improve, thanks to the new reality in the two countries which have been endeavouring to identify areas in which their citizens can cooperate.
"We have been trying to set up joint firms and seek areas in which Angolans and Mozambicans can cooperate," said the diplomat, adding that this depends on the financial capacity both of the Angolan and Mozambican governments.
Meanwhile, he said he has noticed the interest of Mozambican businesses to invest in Angola in the area of fishery on Angola's territorial waters and in the sectors of civil construction and public works.
Garcia Bires said that at the level of the two States, there has been an effort to implement the bilateral accords, both within the African Portuguese Speaking Countries (PALOP), the Portuguese Speaking Community (CPLP) and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), in line with the programmes outlined by these three structures.
On the other hand, he informed that his embassy is considering to set up the Angola Culture House to Mozambique, as a means to open the Angolan culture to all those who want to visit and know the country.
To him, this would also enable an exchange among artists, mainly musicians from the two countries. "This would encourage Mozambican artists to visit Angola and ours to come to Mozambique", he stressed.
However, he added, the implementation of the project designed to relaunch the exchange of experiences and transmit the two countries concrete reality, requires funds.
Garcia Bires spoke of the need for restoring direct flights between Luanda and Maputo, as a means to increase contacts between Angolans and Mozambicans.
To him, the reopening of direct fights between the two capital cities would also contribute to bring the two countries closer. But he warned that this depends on a final decision from the air companies from both countries (TAAG, Angola) and (LAM, Mozambique).
30 Angolan citizens are registered with the consulate, but this is figure is believed far shorter than the number resident in Mozambique, because many are on the border between that country and Zambia.
Over the last 15 days, the Embassy of Angola to Mozambique repatriated five Angolans from the eastern Moxico province and another one from Kuando-Kubango, all part of a group that jumped from Zambia to Maputo.
The Republic of Mozambique is situated on the African south-eastern coast and has an area of 799.380 square kilometres. It is limited to the north by Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa to the west and the Indian Ocean to the east.
Fonte: AIM
