Maputo — Mozambique's Deputy Foreign Minister, Manuel Gonçalves, has called on the Swedish government to mobilize its business people in order to boost their investment in the Mozambican private sector.

According to Gonçalves, who made the appeal on Wednesday, in Maputo, moments after the end of an audience with the Swedish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Jan Nhutsson, "at our meeting, we emphasized cooperation in the private sector. It is important that we continue to mobilize the private sector to continue playing its fundamental role.'

Gonçalves said he and Nhutsson parties reviewed the political situation in both countries, as well as internationally. "In the end, we emphasized that our relations are excellent and we must continue to cement them for the benefit of both countries', he stressed.

The deputy minister also said that Sweden, through the European Union, has provided a great deal of military support to the Mozambican government in the fight against Islamist terrorists in the Northern Province of Cabo Delgado.

"We thank Sweden for the support it has given us via the European Union. As you know, the European Union has given us support and assistance in training our defense and security forces', he added.

In terms of humanitarian assistance, he said, Sweden has supported Mozambique whenever it faces natural disasters.

For his part, Nhutsson said that his country has been a partner of Mozambique for many years and expressed the desire to maintain existing co-operation ties.

"We are very interested in maintaining this partnership and continuing to talk about issues of interest to both [Mozambique and Sweden] and how we can develop them, including in the economic area, with business and investment', he said.