Russia said Thursday it is ready to support Mozambique's requests for assistance in "eliminating the terrorist threat" in the country's north, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Mozambican President Daniel Francisco Chapo in Maputo to discuss bilateral cooperation, the ministry said in a statement.
Citing Lavrov, the ministry said economic cooperation was a key focus of the talks, with both sides agreeing to examine Mozambique's economic reform and modernization plans ahead of the next meeting of the Russian-Mozambican Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation.
Lavrov said African countries increasingly seek to process their natural resources domestically rather than export raw materials, describing the trend as part of a "second awakening" across the continent.
"Another area of our strategic partnership for the coming period is the joint fight against terrorism," Lavrov said. "Russia is ready to support the requests of our Mozambican friends regarding the assistance we can provide in eliminating the terrorist threat that remains in the north of the country."
The two sides also discussed international issues, with Lavrov saying Russia and Mozambique maintain close coordination at the United Nations and other multilateral forums.
Lavrov arrived in Maputo, the Mozambican capital, early Thursday after stops in Ethiopia and Niger as part of his African tour.
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