Check against delivery! 

Muito obrigado, Ministra [dos Negócios Estrangeiros e Cooperação, Verónica Macamo Dlhovo]. Bom dia a todos. 

Thank you. Thank you to President [Filipe] Nyusi and thank you to you, Foreign Minister Dlhovo, for receiving me today here in Mozambique. 

It has been a very important visit. And for me, it is a good occasion to discuss with our African partners about the very difficult and complex international landscape and the fundamental geopolitical developments that we have been living in during this year. 

In this geopolitical environment, the European Union wants to continue being a close partner of Africa, and in particular of Mozambique.  

At the moment, we are living the most difficult moment, the most challenging threats - I can say – to our own security since the end of World War II. But the European Union does not forget other crises in other parts of the world. 

We are very much aware that this war in Ukraine is affecting everybody, and that in some countries like in Mozambique, you have your own problems. And that they deserve also our attention. 

And I wanted to visit Mozambique, not only because it is one of the largest recipients of the European Union’s support. It is. Among all African countries, Mozambique is a country that receives strong support from the European Union, the third one in terms of absolute support. 

Not only because of that. That would be a good reason, but also because I wanted to express the commitment and solidarity of the European Union with Mozambique in fighting against terrorism and looking for peace. Unhappily, my visit coincides with the killing of six people in the Nampula province just yesterday. I took good note of this, because this attack and this killing of six people is a stark reminder that the fight against terrorism is not over and that, unhappily, it is spreading out of the Cabo Delgado region to other regions. 

This is not a new threat. You, Minister, know that better than I do. And to help the Mozambican armed forces in Cabo Delgado, we have implemented in a record time, an [EU] Training Mission (EUTM Mozambique) that has already trained 600 soldiers. And will continue doing that. 

We are also delivering military capacities. Through our European Peace Facility, we are funding equipment such as pickup trucks and individual combat equipment. Tomorrow, in my visit to the Headquarters, the barracks of the mission, I will be witnessing the handover of this material to the Mozambican armed forces. 

I also want to commend the efforts of the Rwandan contingent and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission to Mozambique, the SAMIM, which we are also supporting. 

I am pleased that today I could announce to the President, the decision taken in Brussels, at the European Union Headquarters, just this morning, to provide €15 million to this mission.  

Allow me to point out, to show, the importance of our complementary military support to this training mission. We are going to provide €89 million on military capabilities for the units that we are training – not only training, but preparing them to fulfil their duty. 

But we know that we cannot win a war against terror only with soldiers and weapons. The solution cannot be only a military solution. In these circumstances, you cannot win the war if you do not win peace.

Development needs peace and peace needs development. Both things have to go together, hand in hand. This is why our approach has to be comprehensive – not only military support, but also boosting economic development. Economic growth, job creation, wellbeing of the people, public services, education, health. These are the basis of peace. And that is why we are working closely with the government of Mozambique. And, in parallel to our security support, we are focusing on education, on access to water and sanitation, energy, nutrition and the fight against climate change. These are the basis of a good society. And a good society is the only remedy against terror.  

Allow me a last word. I want also to say that to strengthen our partnership with Mozambique, we want to do that on the international stage. Not only bilaterally, but also taking into account what is happening in the wider world.  

And I had to congratulate the President for the election of Mozambique as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. For which I want also to congratulate you, Foreign Minister [Verónica Macamo Dlhovo], as you will have to play an important role in New York. 

We hope that we will continue working with Mozambique to defend multilateralism and a rules-based international order - including the United Nations’ Charter, which is the basic pillar of this order. And multilateralism, nowadays, needs to be strengthened, not to be weakened. Because it is the best tool that we have to address global trends and challenges that threaten all of us, all around the world. 

In Europe, we are facing the war of Russia against Ukraine, and we know that this war is having effects all over the world. We have to take them into account and ask all our friends to understand which are the causes and the consequences of this war. 

I am going to insist on this very basic fact: Mozambique is a reliable partner of the European Union. And we want to further deepen this partnership. For your country. For our partnership and our friendship. For regional stability. For global stability. For a world of justice and progress. 

Thank you. 

Q&A 

Q. Mozambique is neutral in this conflict. Does that mean that Mozambique is on the side of the aggressor? Could you please comment further on the €15 million? 

No creo que se pueda decir que Mozambique está del lado del agresor. Mozambique no está del lado del agresor. Mozambique defiende la paz, y cuando se está al lado de la paz, no se puede estar al lado de quién ha empezado una guerra.  

Nosotros respetamos la posición de Mozambique, como país independiente y soberano. Tratamos, en nuestra relación, de explicar cómo entendemos nosotros el conflicto y qué es lo que esperamos de nuestros amigos. Pero en ningún momento creo que podamos decir – no lo hemos dicho, ni lo pensamos – que Mozambique esté al lado de un agresor.  

Sobre los 15 millones [de euros], es una ayuda que van a recibir los países que han enviado tropas en el marco de SAMIM, a la espera de que podamos hacer lo mismo con Ruanda.   

Q. Do you see any possibility from the European Union to tap Mozambican gas for its energy requirements? 

Naturalmente que esperamos que Mozambique se incorpore a los países productores de gas. Y, de hecho, saludamos que ya lo esté haciendo, porque dentro de pocos días va a salir de Cabo Delgado el primer barco con 175.000 toneladas de gas, en dirección a Europa.  

Mozambique tiene una enorme riqueza con sus yacimientos gasísticos. Ya la tenía antes de que el precio del gas subiera, pero ahora mucho más. Y, por eso, esperamos que se puedan conseguir las condiciones de paz y progreso que permitan la explotación de esta riqueza en beneficio de los mozambiqueños. Serán los primeros beneficiados, porque tendrán puestos de trabajo y tendrán ingresos para su presupuesto. Eso será, fundamentalmente, para ustedes. Y claro, los que se lo compren, también podrán utilizarlo. Pero el desarrollo de esta riqueza es el principal interés que tiene Mozambique hoy. Y todo lo que sea poner en peligro el desarrollo de esta riqueza, es muy malo para el país. Espero que todo el mundo lo entienda. 

Q. This visit happens against a backdrop of new developments in terms of terrorist attacks. You see some rapes in the Nampula province by the terrorists. Could you comment on that and on what does that mean? You just announced that the EU has approved €15 million euros for SAMIM and €89 million for Mozambique's defence forces. How much has the European Union spent in supporting the efforts of Mozambique in fighting terrorism? 

Bien, primero lamento y expreso mis condolencias a las víctimas del ataque terrorista que tuvo lugar ayer. Es una clara señal de que la lucha contra el terrorismo tiene que continuar de forma incansable. El hecho de que los ataques se hayan producido fuera de la provincia de Cabo Delgado no es, si no, una advertencia de la necesidad de que sigamos trabajando juntos para combatirlos.  

Y es lo que les diré mañana a los soldados de Mozambique que están recibiendo entrenamiento militar en la base cuando les entregue las unidades móviles, los vehículos que les van a permitir defender mejor la paz y la seguridad en su país.  

Y les puedo dar, como nuevo dato – aparte de esos que ya les he dado – que esta misión no es gratis. Nos cuesta dinero a todos los europeos. Esta misión tiene un coste estimado de 15 millones de euros, que no van directamente al presupuesto de Mozambique, pero sí que tiene un coste para nosotros. Más los 89 millones [de euros] del equipamiento, que todavía no los hemos gastado todos, están en camino. Más 65 millones de euros en proyectos de desarrollo, más –como les digo – lo que estamos haciendo para ayudar a las tropas de otros países que intervienen. Algunas ya están aprobadas, como los 15 millones de euros a los que he hecho antes referencia, y otras que espero que se puedan aprobar próximamente para apoyar a las tropas de Ruanda. 

Muchas gracias. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-229797