Thursday, February 17, 2011

PORTUGUESE DELEGATION SEEKS INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Thirty Portuguese businessmen are visiting Mozambique to seek business opportunities in transport infrastructure. They are accompanying the Portuguese Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications, Antonio Mendoza, who has been visiting Mozambique since last Friday. The business delegation met on Monday in Maputo with Mozambican businessmen at a seminar on investment opportunities. They were informed of investment possibilities in the new industrial parks to be set up in Moatize (Tete province), Mocuba (Zambezia) and Dondo (Sofala), as well as the established industrial city of Matola. They were also briefed on the Science and Technology Park under construction at Maluana, about 80 kilometres north of Maputo, the possibility of a new mineral port at Ponta Techobanine in the far south of the country, and the opportunities presented by the Zambezi Valley. According to the General Director of the Mozambican government’s Investment Promotion Centre (CPI), Lourenço Sambo, there is also major investment potential in the Special Economic Zone that is being set up alongside the northern port of Nacala.   It was noticed that the rail transport demands fresh investment due to the coal projects under development in Tete. The challenge is to explore the capacity of rail systems to respond to the demand in the country and the region as well as developing an industry for the production of wagons. For his part, Mozambican Transport Minister Paulo Zucula said the government's goal is to streamline the transport sector and to respond better to the challenges and demands that arise.“The infrastructure and transport sectors are vital for the development of any economy”, said Zucula. “At this meeting, we hope to boost those sectors so that we are able to respond more effectively to the demands and challenges facing the transport industry”. Mendonca claimed that the 30 Portuguese companies represented on this tour have proven experience. Some are already operating in Mozambique and wish to lay new foundations for their businesses. “We want the activities of Portuguese companies to help develop skills in Mozambique”, he said, and called for partnerships to be formed “on a basis of equality and mutual interest”.

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