Mozambique’s National Assembly president Margarida Adamugy Talapa met Russia’s Federation Council chair Valentina Matvienko in Moscow this week where the two sides signed a new cooperation agreement and discussed strengthening parliamentary and broader bilateral ties.
Matvienko said Talapa’s visit – her first official trip outside Africa since assuming office as head of the Assembly of the Republic – underscored the growing engagement between the two countries.
“This visit demonstrates the friendly nature of our interparliamentary relations and reflects positive trends in the development of bilateral relations across various fields,” Matvienko said in a statement released by the Russian embassy in Maputo on Thursday.
“I believe it will provide an additional impetus for the development of cooperation and the full range of relations.”
Mozambique and Russia share a long history of political and military ties dating back to the southern African country’s liberation struggle when the Soviet Union provided training, equipment and diplomatic backing to Frelimo.
Since independence, the relationship has continued through defence cooperation, education exchanges and participation in Russia-Africa summits where Mozambique has been a regular attendee.
Matvienko said the upcoming Russia–Africa Summit in Moscow later this year would offer another opportunity to deepen cooperation, adding that parliamentarians would work to support the implementation of any agreements reached.
Talapa said her visit would help advance ties not only between the parliaments but also between the two countries more broadly.
She thanked Russia for its support to Mozambique following recent natural disasters.
During the meeting, a new cooperation agreement was signed between the Office of the Federation Council and the Secretariat‑General of Mozambique’s Assembly of the Republic.
The document was signed by Gennady Golov for the Russian side and António Joaquim Mahumane for Mozambique.
JN/APA