China Donates Non-Lethal Aid to FADM

24 May 2011

Maputo — The Chinese government on Monday donated non-lethal equipment to the Mozambican Armed Forces (FADM), valued at about 10 million yuan, equivalent to 1.5 million US dollars.

The equipment includes material for making military uniforms, boots, blankets, rucksacks, and raincoats.

The donation is a result of an agreement signed in May 2009 by the two countries during the visit to China of the Mozambican Defence Minister, Filipe Nyussi.

The material will help deal with some of the challenges facing the FADM, such as the introduction of standardized uniforms to cover the three branches of the FADM – the Air Force, the Navy and the Army.

Speaking about the donation, Nyussi recalled that military relations between Mozambique and China are historic and that this tradition has never been forgotten.

According to Nyussi, together with work on improving the military infrastructure, which represents a major priority in the activities of the Ministry of Defence, the FADM is continuing to invest heavily in human capital including the provision of logistics.

“This support will be valued”, affirmed the Minister of Defence, who together with the Chinese Ambassador, Huang Songfu, witnessed the formal act of delivering the equipment to the FADM.

Ambassador Huang said that the delivery offers “another demonstration of the friendship between Mozambique and China” that dates back to the period of armed struggle against colonialism in Mozambique.

Ambassador Huang Songfu said that he believes that the equipment will help the FADM to fulfill its mission of defending sovereignty and maintaining peace and stability.

The Chinese diplomat stressed that although Mozambique and China are geographically far apart, “emotionally, we are very close”.

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