Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Mozambican President, Daniel Chapo, stated yesterday in an interview with Lusa that the concept of the CPLP implies “harmony” and “free movement of people,” at a time when Portugal is reviewing its migration and nationality legislation.
“We, as Portuguese-speaking countries, have a community, the CPLP [Community of Portuguese Language Countries], which is extremely important. And the concept of community implies communion, harmony and, above all, the free movement of people and goods within the community,” said Chapo in Porto, where he will participate on Tuesday in the sixth Portugal-Mozambique bilateral summit.
“It is in this context that Mozambique follows the process [in Portugal]. It follows it in the sense that it is extremely important for each country to establish rules in terms of nationality laws, but without forgetting that no one lives and survives in isolation. We all, as people and as countries, need integration for our survival,” Chapo added, when questioned by Lusa.
Therefore, he admitted, “it is important that each” of the countries prepares legislation “but does not forget that human beings, by nature, are social.”
“Being social and living in countries, it is necessary that these countries also be social, in the sense of understanding that Portuguese citizens need Mozambican citizens and Mozambican citizens need Portuguese citizens. And only in this way will we make our countries grow,” he added.
According to data presented yesterday at a meeting in Porto between Daniel Chapo and the Mozambican community, the latest official statistics this year indicate that 13,704 Mozambicans live in Portugal, of whom 4,673 have regularised residence.
“It is true that each has its own nationality law, which respects rules and everything else, but it is important that we consolidate our communities ever more and especially the issue related to the free movement of people and goods, because only that consolidates the communities and will make our countries grow,” appealed the Mozambican Head of State.
Around 22 ministers from both governments are participating in the sixth Portugal-Mozambique bilateral summit, taking place in Porto, alongside Daniel Chapo, President of the Republic of Mozambique, and Luís Montenegro, Portuguese Prime Minister.
