Maputo — The Mozambican Minister of Industry and Trade, Carlos Mesquita, met on Monday with the British Minister for International Trade Ranil Jayawardena to discuss the impact of COVID-19 in Mozambique and access to bilateral trade opportunities, according to a press release from the British High Commission in Maputo.

The release did not say exactly where the meeting occurred, or whether it was face to face or by video conference. There was no opportunity for the Mozambican media to speak with Jayawardena.

The High Commission statement said the meeting between the two ministers followed up the participation by Mesquita and by President Filipe Nyusi at the UK-Africa Investment Summit earlier this year, and focused on supporting economic recovery in Mozambique.

The British government, said the High Commission, "re-iterates the commitment to open supply chains and fair trade practices in response to the pandemic. The UK is also offering technical support for the development of an Action plan to minimize the impact of COVID19 on key productive sectors of the economy including agriculture, energy, and manufacturing while promoting a green recovery".

The UK, the statement added, "is able to offer technical support to Mozambique on trade policy and facilitation issues".