The Japanese government wants to step up its cooperation with Mozambique, particularly in infrastructures and in the training of human resources, according to Ken Shimanouchi, a special envoy from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Speaking to reporters shortly after he was received by President Filipe Nyusi, Shimanouchi said that Japan believed the priorities for its cooperation with Mozambique were “first the construction of high quality infrastructures for Mozambique, and also the training of human resources for the country’s development”.
Shimanouchi also brought an invitation for Nyusi to participate in the Sixth Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD VI). For the first time, the conference will be held, not in Japan, but in Africa. It is scheduled for 27-28 August in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
Shimanouchi stressed that cooperation between the two countries has been intensifying in recent years and cited the development of the Nacala Corridor, in the northern province of Nampula as an example.
The Nacala Corridor development project, budgeted at about 1.2 billion US dollars, includes the rehabilitation of the Nacala dam, and the city’s water supply, as well as upgrading the electricity and telecommunications networks. It is expected to create 7,000 jobs.
Nyusi’s advisor for diplomatic matters, Manuel Mazuze, told reporters that Shimanouchi had also brought an invitation for Nyusi to visit Japan this year “or on other dates that are more convenient for the two sides”.
Mazuze added that when Nyusi visits Japan “he will naturally encourage Japanese business people to increase their investments in Mozambique”.
Source: AllAfrica
