President Nyusi’s visit to the Czech Republic will continue in Brno on Tuesday. Credit: Zuzana Bonisch / hrad.cz.
Prague, Aug 8 (CTK) – The presidents of the Czech Republic and Mozambique, Petr Pavel and Filipe Nyusi, met yesterday in Prague to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries. Pavel said that it is in Europe’s interest not to leave space for Russia and China in the African region, and that the Czech Republic could play a bigger role there.
“African countries often have no other alternative than cooperation with Russia or China because we do not offer them many other possibilities,” President Pavel said. The closer the cooperation between European and African countries, he said, the smaller the space for negative influence, either from Russia or China.
Pavel said the Czech Republic sees space for the development of a partnership with Mozambique based on mutual respect.
President Nyusi said Mozambique is interested in reinforcing economic cooperation with the Czech Republic. He said his country offered significant mineral resources and a good climate for agricultural production.
Nyusi said Mozambique would also like Czech investment in the areas of energy, industry, and transport infrastructure development.
Mozambique offers opportunities for Czech companies operating in the spheres of defence, healthcare, transport infrastructure, processing of farming products, and renewable energy, the Czech President said.
On Tuesday, the Mozambican delegation will negotiate possible cooperation with representatives of individual Czech firms.
The Czech Republic and Mozambique may also cooperate in fighting terrorism, which the African country has been facing. Pavel said the Czech Republic has something to offer to Mozambique, thanks to the experience of the Czech soldiers deployed on the training mission in Mali. He said military equipment and military technologies may also be offered.
Nyusi, who has been the head of his country since 2015, studied mechanical engineering at the Brno military academy in 1985-1990. Credit: Zuzana Bonisch / hrad.cz.
Nyusi pointed out that Mozambique does not agree with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and wishes the conflict to end as soon as possible. Pavel said the Czech Republic and Mozambique have the same interest in ending the conflict. The differences are in how they feel the risks caused by the war, as it is a proximate security threat for the Czech Republic, whereas African countries are concerned about the threat to their corn supply. In the past, these countries received corn both from Russia and Ukraine.
Mozambique was a Portuguese colony until gaining independence in 1975. Nyusi said in Prague that his country was already cooperating with Czechoslovakia in those days.
Nyusi, who has been the head of his country since 2015, has direct ties to the Czech Republic, having studied mechanical engineering at the Brno military academy in 1985-1990, where Pavel also worked from 1988-1991. Both presidents recalled their time there yesterday. At the beginning of the press conference after their meeting, Nyusi spoke Czech as he greeted journalists and thanked Pavel for the welcome at Prague Castle.
On Tuesday, Nyusi will meet top Czech politicians in Prague, starting with talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Vit Rakusan (STAN) and lower house speaker Marketa Pekarova Adamova (TOP 09). He will then have lunch with Senate deputy chairman Jiri Drahos (STAN) and other senators.
In the afternoon, Nyusi will move from Prague to Brno, where he will visit the Defence University and negotiate at the Brno regional office and with Brno Mayor Marketa Vankova (ODS). He will also walk through the historical centre of the city.
Mozambique has 32 million inhabitants and is about ten times larger than the Czech Republic. One of the poorest countries in the world, its neighbours are South Africa, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania.
