Maputo, Aug. 22, 2025 (Lusa) - Mozambique's president said he was willing to change laws in the name of "various reforms" underway in Mozambique, aimed at fighting corruption and "opening up the country to business and investment", according to a statement sent out by the Presidency on Friday.
"We are carrying out various reforms in the country, aimed at fighting corruption and bureaucracy as well. If we need to change the laws, we will have to do so, to open up the country to business, open up the country to national and foreign investment and speed up the country's development process," said Daniel Chapo, quoted in the statement, during a meeting with the Mozambican community in Japan.
The head of state, who is taking part in the 9th Tokyo International Conference for Africa's Development (TICAD 9), said that citizens living in Japan are "ambassadors" for Mozambique and therefore also responsible for projecting a "positive image" of the country abroad, to "strengthen credibility and attract opportunities".
"We have to change the country's image to bring out the positive side," because "this is what will bring us more investment and develop our country," Chapo emphasised.
At the meeting, the president also asked the Mozambican community to continue to be an "active voice" for the country abroad, noting that Mozambique maintains a "stable framework" and is experiencing "political, economic and social stability", except for some districts in Cabo Delgado. This northern province has seen new attacks by insurgent groups.
On Wednesday, the president expressed the country's willingness to cooperate and welcome investment initiatives from Japan that promote peace and economic integration between African countries bordering the Indian Ocean.
"We reiterate our willingness to welcome investments and regional initiatives aimed at strengthening economic integration and peace in the Indian Ocean region, deepening cooperation in strategic areas," said Chapo in Yokohama, during the opening of the Economic Forum for Partnership between Japan and the African Countries of the Indian Ocean, held on the sidelines of the conference.
TICAD has been running since Wednesday and ends today, with dozens of meetings and debates on African development.
With the theme “Strengthening partnerships for the sustainable development of the African continent”, the conference brings together dozens of political, academic and financial personalities, including the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, to debate Japan's support for African development, and is organised by the Japanese government and the World Bank.
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