Mauritius: Workshop Explores Business Opportunities in Mozambique

Trade and Investment Opportunities in Mozambique was the focus of a half-day informative and interactive workshop which was held this morning in the Lunch Room of the National Assembly in Port Louis at the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade.

The objective was to develop the right synergies to increase trade and investment in the Maputo corridor.  This initiative is in line with Government’s policy of mapping out a coherent plan of action in order to further develop Mauritius’ relations with Africa, especially with Mozambique with which Mauritius shares ancestral ties.

The workshop brought together more than sixty participants from the public and private sectors and the business community.  They were apprised of existing opportunities in Mozambique and were given an overview of the major sectors in which the potential for investment exists namely agriculture, fisheries, transport, building and construction.

In his opening address the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (SFA), Mr A. P. Neewoor, recalled that the African continent is now regarded as the last and new frontier for business opportunities in the world.  It has proven that it can deliver with a growth rate exceeding that of many countries including those in Europe and Asia.  Therefore opportunities are boundless to invest on that continent, he said.

According to the SFA, Mozambique stands out in respect of investment opportunities because of both the availability of resources and its shared privileged relations with Mauritius.  He pointed out that Mauritius wants to add substance to these ties.  The Government as facilitator is hopeful that full advantage will be taken to see whether the business community can be part of the process to bring about economic transformation not only on the African continent as a whole but in particular Mozambique, he added.

For his part, the High Commissioner of Mauritius to Mozambique, Mr J. H. Lamvohee, pointed out that historical ties between the two countries and strong bilateral relations provide the ideal basis and platform to act as a gateway for the private sector of Mauritius to take advantage of the opportunities that exist in Mozambique which has a growing and stable economy.

Mozambique can be used as a production base to supply the region and Europe and elsewhere but it also represents a unique market opportunity in some niche areas in which Mauritius has a cutting edge, he said. 

Mauritius and Mozambique share strong and privileged relations.  Both countries have a number of instruments in place including a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, a General Framework Agreement of Bilateral Cooperation, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Cooperation in Fisheries and an MOU on Cooperation in Food Security.  The two countries also share common membership of the SADC, ACP Group and the African Union.

Mozambique has emerged from decades of armed conflict to become one of Africa’s best-performing economies.  The country has a growth rate of more than 7% presently and in the last three to four years has had a sustained growth rate of 7 to 8 percent.