The Portuguese cultural institute, Instituto Camões, and the Macao Polytechnic Institute (MPI) have struck an agreement on the training of teachers of Portuguese in the Asia-Pacific region, Lusa reports.

Portuguese news agency quotes Instituto Camões President Luís Faro Ramos as saying MPI will run continuing education courses for Portuguese-language teachers, and that Instituto Camões will certify them.

The report says Mr Ramos is in Macao for a meeting of the Macao-Portugal Joint Sub-committee on Portuguese Language and Education.

Mr Ramos described Macao as “an essential asset” in the promotion of the Portuguese language in the Asia-Pacific region, Lusa says.