Amsterdam — Dutch Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende on Thursday guaranteed that Holland will continue its development aid to Mozambique.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, after the two men had held a private meeting for two hours, Balkenende said that Holland is willing to explore new areas for cooperation and investment with Mozambique. He mentioned tourism, energy and banking in particular as potential areas for new Dutch interventions, involving both the public and private sectors.

He confirmed that, in the perspective of expanding cooperation and investment, the Dutch Minister for Development Cooperation, Albert Koenders, will visit Mozambique in March.

The traditional areas of Dutch cooperation include education and water supply. In addition to the areas mentioned by Balkenende, Mozambique is also interested in expanding this cooperation to agro-industry, science and technology, infrastructures, and biofuels.

For his part, Guebuza stressed the "excellent" political and economic relations between the two countries. He stressed that Mozambique requires more foreign investment, needed to generate income and jobs and thus contribute to development and poverty reduction.

Also on Thursday Guebuza gave a lecture at the Dutch Institute of International Relations, on the theme: "Mozambique: promoting sustainable peace, multiparty democracy and regional stability".