Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Friday in Maputo that Russia stands ready to assist Mozambique in eradicating the persistent terrorist threat in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.
“We continue to support the efforts of [Mozambican] President Chapo to stabilize the situation in the north, eliminate the terrorist threat, and consolidate the true sovereignty of Mozambique,” Lavrov told reporters following a bilateral meeting with Mozambican Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Maria dos Santos Lucas. “We provide support, namely through personnel training and the supply of necessary weaponry and equipment.”
During his high-level meetings with both the newly elected Mozambican President Daniel Chapo and the country’s chief diplomat, Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow’s commitment to combating the insurgency that has plagued the gas-rich Cabo Delgado province since 2017. The conflict, driven by militants affiliated with the Islamic State, has claimed more than 6,600 lives and displaced over 1.1 million people.
“Both in the meeting with the President a few hours ago and during the extensive negotiations that have just concluded, we dedicated most of our attention to discussing concrete ways to strengthen, develop, and expand our strategic partnership,” Lavrov noted. He emphasized that the relationship is built on a “solid foundation of solidarity and mutual aid forged during the struggle against colonialism.”
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Lavrov’s stop in Maputo concludes a multi-nation diplomatic tour across several African capitals. Beyond security cooperation, the Russian and Mozambican delegations held detailed discussions regarding the “development and modernization” of bilateral trade, economic links, and investment opportunities.
According to the Russian foreign minister, both sides have agreed to draft formal proposals detailing specific joint projects. These outlines will be formally reviewed ahead of the upcoming session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Commercial and Economic Cooperation, scheduled to take place this autumn.
Lavrov also highlighted Russia’s ongoing role in training Mozambican professionals and expressed a willingness to increase the number of state scholarships available to Mozambican students. Additionally, he confirmed that President Daniel Chapo is scheduled to attend the third Russia-Africa Summit, which will be hosted in Moscow from October 28 to 29, 2026.
Mozambican Foreign Minister Maria dos Santos Lucas expressed satisfaction with the bilateral talks, indicating that a joint mixed commission meeting would likely convene in September to formalize these expanding avenues of cooperation.
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“We conducted an assessment of our bilateral cooperation across various fields where Russia has supported us,” Lucas stated. “The goal is to consolidate Russian support in economic areas of high priority for Mozambique.”
According to the foreign minister, the targeted sectors for Russian partnership include energy, agriculture, mineral resources, transport, logistics, and innovation-driven digitalization—alongside vital tactical assistance in the ongoing fight against regional terrorism.
