Cavaco Silva issued the challenge last week in Maputo at a meeting with the Portuguese community in the Mozambican capital that capped his three-day visit at the head of high-level Lisbon government and business delegations.

"Today there's a much stronger will" on the part of Portugal and Mozambique to turn "excellent" bilateral political relations into stronger economic, business and cultural links, he said, reiterating a major theme of his visit.

Earlier last Wednesday, Cavaco Silva toured 16th century Portuguese historical monuments on northern Mozambique Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1991.

He applauded Mozambican plans, backed by Lisbon, to create a new urban centre on the mainland in front of the small island to provide employment and homes for the island's overcrowded population of 16,000 to make room for quality tourism projects.

Accompanying the president, Lisbon's State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Joaõ Gomes Cravinho, said Portugal would help finance projects for the future mainland town.

The so-called Millennium Village has received initial financing of 1.5 million euros over two years from the United Nation's UNIDO programme.

Representatives of two Portuguese banks travelling with Cavaco Silva gave island authorities two 100,000 euro cheques to help repair damage caused recently by Cyclone Jokwe.

Carlos Queiroz, Manchester United's assistant coach who grew up near Mozambique Island, lamented "the state of degradation" into which the island had fallen, appealing to Lisbon to "firmly support" efforts to rehabilitate the historic sites that include a 16th century fort and churches.
President Cavaco Silva, ending an official visit to Mozambique, has urged Portuguese ex- patriates in the southern African country to become "active participants" in launching "a new cycle of relationship" between Lisbon and its former colony. Cavaco Silva issued the challenge last week in Maputo at a meeting with the Portuguese community in the Mozambican capital that capped his three-day visit at the head of high-level Lisbon government and business delegations. "Today there's a much stronger will" on the part of Portugal and Mozambique to turn "excellent" bilateral political relations into stronger economic, business and cultural links, he said, reiterating a major theme of his visit. Earlier last Wednesday, Cavaco Silva toured 16th century Portuguese historical monuments on northern Mozambique Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1991. He applauded Mozambican plans, backed by Lisbon, to create a new urban centre on the mainland in front of the small island to provide employment and homes for the island's over- crowded population of 16,000 to make room for quality tourism projects. Accompanying the president, Lisbon's State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Joaõ Gomes Cravinho, said Portugal would help finance projects for the future mainland town. The so-called Millennium Village has received initial financing of 1.5 million euros over two years from the United Nation's UNIDO programme. Representatives of two Portuguese banks travelling with Cavaco Silva gave island authorities two 100,000 euro cheques to help repair damage caused re- cently by Cyclone Jokwe. Carlos Queiroz, Manchester United's assistant coach who grew up near Mozambique Is- land, lamented "the state of degradation" into which the island had fallen, appealing to Lisbon to "firmly support" efforts to rehabilitate the historic sites that include a 16th century fort and churches.

The Portugal News