Mozambique is Teeming with Business Opportunities – High Commissioner Mpahlwa |
| The High Commissioner of South Africa to Mozambique, Ambassador Mandisi Mpahlwa says Mozambique is teeming with investment and trade opportunities as the country is on a viable and vibrant upward economic development path. Mpahlwa was providing an overview of the Mozambican political and economic environment to a group of South African businesspeople who arrived in Mozambique today for the Outward Trade and Investment Mission to Pemba and Maputo organised by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti).
The objective of the mission is to increase bilateral trade and investment between South Africa and Mozambique by exposing South African companies to opportunities that are available in Mozambique for them to explore. “Mozambique is going through a very momentous period both politically and economically. The signing of the cessation of military hostilities and peace agreements in August, the general elections in October, and the amendment of the constitution were a watershed in the history of the country. These gave effect to a new political dispensation and placed the country in a good position to move forward politically. What is important to you to take into consideration is that this country is on an upward economic development path that is teeming with countless opportunities to explore,” said Mpahlwa. He advised the businesspeople to take a 360-degree view of the opportunities that the Mozambican economy is brimming with, instead of narrowly training their sights on the gas megaprojects that have attracted global attention. “You cannot start to imagine what the investments in the gas projects are going to do to the economy of this country. For instance, the opportunities that will be created by the first investment of about US$20 billion that was announced recently are massively unimaginable. Many sectors of the economy such as agro-processing, built environment, steel and transport are going to benefit. Many inputs will be required for the projects. As businesspeople, you need to position yourself to benefit from the secondary level of the gas projects. You need to take a 360-degree view of the wide spectrum of these opportunities and identify Mozambican companies and businesspeople that you can establish partnerships and joint ventures with,” added Mpahlwa. Mpahlwa also told the delegates that the Mozambican government had embarked on a major drive to electrify the county in order to increase the population’s access to electricity from about 30% to 60%. “Despite the grand plan to electrify the country, infrastructure development and agriculture are part of the Mozambican government’s economic development priorities. This mission is important in assisting you to be on the ground to see first-hand what is available. This will help you to put your best foot forward and show that you are keen to get access to these opportunities,” concluded Mpahlwa. The 45-member South African delegation that comprises of representatives from the private and public sectors will attend the South Africa-Mozambique Business Seminar with their Mozambican counterparts in Pemba tomorrow. Business-to-business meetings will follow the seminar. The Pemba leg will conclude with site visits on Tuesday before the delegation proceeds to Maputo on Wednesday for the second leg of the mission.
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