GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER

Mozambican Foreign Minister Oldemiro Baloi on Thursday received in Maputo his German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, with whom he discussed strengthening the ties between the two countries. “During the meeting, we expressed our desire to strengthen relations of cooperation and friendship between the two states and people”, Steinmeier told reporters The German minister, who is on a two day visit to Mozambique said that Germany wants to boost business contacts with Mozambique in various areas of activity. 

“We want to identify more business opportunities with Mozambique because we believe this is a country of opportunities”, added Steinmeier.“This is my fifth visit to Africa in two years, as Foreign Minister”, he added, “and this visit comes at a time when there are conflicts in the Middle East, and also here in Mozambique, between the government and Renamo, the largest opposition party. We hope that the political leaderships achieve consensus”. For his part Baloi said that the relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries are healthy, and increasingly promising, since Germany is continuing to invest in Mozambique.“In these talks, we discussed bilateral matters, and the existing relations between the two countries which are illustrated by the parliamentary, business and scientific components to this visit”, Baloi added. “We also looked at what is going on in the world, in questions of a universal nature, such as questions of terrorism, the environment, the reform of the United Nations and the international economic situation”.Germany has withdrawn from the group of donors and financial agencies known as the Programme Aid Partners (PAPs) who provide part of their aid to Mozambique in the form of general budget support.Despite dropping out of budget support, Germany remains a major donor, providing around 60 million euros (about 64.3 million US dollars) a year, to various sectors. Of this sum, 15 million euros is destined to education.