In 1498, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrived on the Mozambican coast and established a colony on the Island of Mozambique.

As part of the Portuguese Empire, thousands of Mozambicans were shipped to Brazil and arrived to the South American nation as slaves.

[1] By the 1530s, small groups of Portuguese traders and prospectors penetrated the interior regions seeking gold.

[2] The new head-of-government in Portugal, President António de Spínola, called for a ceasefire to the war in Mozambique.

Negotiations between the Portuguese administration culminated in the Lusaka Accord signed on 7 September 1974, which provided for a complete hand-over of power to FRELIMO.

[3] In the four decades of diplomatic relations between Mozambique and Portugal, cooperation has registered a substantial increase, covering all areas of activity by both nations.