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Lukashenka: Mozambique can be one of Belarus' footholds in Africa

Mozambique can become one of the footholds of Belarus in Africa, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said Tuesday in Minsk while meeting with the prime minister of Mozambique, Alberto Vaquina.

“We have lately been actively looking for footholds in Africa, the states with which we could cooperate. In our opinion, Mozambique could be one of such states,” the Belarusian leader said, according to his press office.

Mr. Lukashenka expressed hope that the Mozambican prime minister’s visit would help the two countries reach considerable progress in bilateral relations. According to him, the history of the bilateral relations that were established in the Soviet era could contribute to this process.

Mr. Lukashenka described Mozambique as a very promising and rich state with large reserves of natural resources.

The economies of the two countries are mutually complementary and do not compete with each other, he said, noting that the current $10-million annual volume of bilateral trade did not meet the potential of the two states. “We have not yet created a legal basis for our relations and your visit will help intensify relations in this regard,” he said.

“You should know that we are not strangers to you,” he said. “We are ready to cooperate with you in all areas. There are no taboo topics in cooperation for us.”

Mr. Vaquina in turn pointed out that there were many areas where Belarus and Mozambique could cooperate, including agriculture and the manufacture of agricultural equipment.

The favorable political and diplomatic relations between the two countries help establish ties, he noted. “As a result of the visit, and not only the visit, we will be able to do everything to expand these ties,” he said. // BelaPAN