What You Need to Know
Margarida Talapa, the Speaker of Mozambique’s Assembly, has commenced a five-day official visit to Russia. This visit aims to enhance cooperation between the parliaments of Mozambique and Russia, featuring talks with Russian officials and visits to key economic sites. Talapa’s agenda includes addressing the State Duma.
Africa-Press – Mozambique. Margarida Talapa, President of the Assembly of the Republic (Speaker), begins on Monday (30) a five-day official visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation of her counterpart, Valentina Matvienko.
A press release issued by the Mozambican parliament, sent on Sunday to AIM, states that the visit falls within the framework of strengthening cooperation between the Mozambican and Russian parliaments, as well as reinforcing the bonds of friendship and solidarity between the peoples of the two countries.
During her stay, Talapa will hold official talks with Valentina Matvienko and with the Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation · Inna Svyatenko , in addition to carrying out visits to strategic economic enterprises and historical monuments.
The agenda also includes an address by the Mozambican leader at the 609th plenary session of the State Duma of the Russian Federation.
On the trip, Talapa is accompanied by the heads of the four parliamentary benches, namely from Frelimo, Feliz Sílvia; from Podemos, Sebastião Mussanhane; from Renamo, Jerónimo Malagueta; and from MDM, Fernando Bismarque.
The delegation also includes the Chair of the Parliamentary Commission for International Relations, Cooperation and Communities, Catarina Dimande; the Secretary-General of the AR, António Mahumane; as well as staff from the parliament’s secretariat-general.
In May 2022, the parliament of Mozambique and the State Duma of Russia signed, in Maputo, an inter-parliamentary cooperation agreement providing for the exchange of delegations at different levels, training activities and capacity-building of parliamentary staff in various areas.
The instrument also provides for the sharing of experiences on parliamentary modernisation, including the digitalisation of legislative processes, as well as coordination of positions in international forums in which both parliaments participate.
The agreement signed in 2022 also envisages strengthening the Friendship Leagues between the Mozambican parliament and the State Duma.
The diplomatic relationship between Mozambique and Russia has evolved significantly since Mozambique’s independence in 1975. Historically, Russia has been a key ally, providing support in various sectors, including military and education. The inter-parliamentary cooperation agreement signed in 2022 marked a new chapter in their bilateral relations, focusing on capacity building and legislative modernization.
This agreement aims to facilitate the exchange of parliamentary delegations and enhance collaboration in international forums. Such initiatives reflect Mozambique’s strategy to strengthen ties with global partners, particularly in the context of economic development and political solidi
