As part of the preparations for the 6th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Forum Macau), the Council of Ministers, at its meeting on April 17^th, 2024, decided to grant full powers to the Vice Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, to sign the Action Plan for Economic and Trade Cooperation (2024-2027) during the event, scheduled for April 21^st to 23^rd this year, in Macau, Special Administrative Region of China. 

This Action Plan aims to boost economic and commercial cooperation between the countries participating in Forum Macau. Among the areas of action defined are intergovernmental cooperation, exchanges with international organisations, trade and investment, development, the cultural and humanitarian sectors, the role of the Macau Platform, and preparations for the next Ministerial Conference. 

The 6th Ministerial Conference of Forum Macau will feature several prominent events, including the Opening Ceremony, the Ministerial Conference, the Signing Ceremony of the Action Plan for Economic and Trade Cooperation (2024-2027) and the Meeting of Entrepreneurs from China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. The Ministerial Conference will focus on identifying the main areas of economic and trade cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries over the next three years. It will boost Macau’s role as a service platform for trade cooperation between these countries.

Forum Macau was established in 2003 and comprises the nine Portuguese-speaking countries: Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe and Timor-Leste. Since then, five editions of the Ministerial Conference and one Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting have been held to promote multilateral cooperation in various areas.