The Provincial Permanent Secretary of Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Province, Mr Antonio Domingos Mapure has extended an invite to the South African businesspeople to invest and do business in the province. Mapure was delivering an address at a Trade and Investment Seminar. The seminar was the first leg of the week-long Outward Trade and Investment Mission (OTIM) that started yesterday and will proceed to Maputo tomorrow. 

Mapure thanked the businesses for joining the province in writing the new story of oil and gas and showed confidence in the growth of the economy post the trade and investment mission. He further said the mission came at an important time when the province was getting ready to start the 2018-2027 Development Programme which includes attraction of investments of more than $50 million in the extraction of gas in the Rovuma basin and as well as the initiation of graphite exploration.

He further said all these activities presented a huge opportunity for South African businesses.

“South Africa has been a privileged partner of Mozambique for years. Its participation in the agricultural sector is very active, which is a source of interest in this province. We hope this meeting will provide opportunities and further create strong ties and the know-how for local businesses. Our priority areas are in line with the South African interest to invest in Mozambique and they include tourism, fisheries, human capital, aquaculture, mining and energy,” said Mapure.

Mapure further assured businesses of Mozambique commitment to share the business opportunities, create conducive environment for businesses with regards to laws and regulations and to encourage domestic and international investments.

The South African High Commissioner to Mozambique, Mr Mandisi Mpahlwa said South African businesses are aware the world is looking at Cabo Delgado Province’s oil and gas exploration, and that the volumes of gas were massive and attracting much attention from major energy foreign companies.

“The implementation of investments of more than $50 million with the exploration of gas in the Rovuma basin present important opportunities for South African companies and we would like to partner with Mozambique and the province as it builds its new future and as it takes advantage of these new opportunities. We do believe we can contribute through our quality products, programmes and services and in terms of back-up services much more cheaply and effectively as these major global companies undertake their investments,” Mpahlwa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Department of Trade and Industry, South Africa.