The Mpumalanga Provincial Government is on a mission to renew their relations with the Maputo Province in Mozambique.
This weekend a delegation of the Mpumalanga’s heads of department held meetings with their counterparts in Maputo to discuss the development of trade between the two provinces.
The delegation agreed on forming a forum of businessmen who will oversee these projects.
The three day visit by the Mpumalanga provincial government to the Maputo province in Mozambique created an interest in trade with the Maputo Province.
The 16 member technical delegation from the provincial government discussed issues of co-operation on agriculture, environmental conservation and the development of tourism on both provinces.
The interaction with the Maputo province identified key agricultural land which farmers in Mpumalanga could utilise in Maputo.
The permanent Secretary of Maputo Province, Claudina Mazalo, says they are open and willing to be in partnership with the Mpumalanga province.
“The memorandum of understanding between Mpumalanga province and the Maputo province will enable that the two provinces can increase economically, the points that are coming with the memorandum of understanding which are agriculture, tourism, transport and logistics and trade and industry, business technology and also the businessmen entrepreneur can come to our country to invest even if from Mozambique to invest in Mpumalanga.”
The Mpumalanga province is currently embarking on building the province’s Fresh Produce Market.
According to the Province’s Director General Thulane Mdakane, this partnership is set to champion their goal in ensuring that their produce are exported to international countries using the Maputo harbour.
Mdakane says, “The province of Maputo is very close to the province of Mpumalanga and we have historic relations that stretch back for a long time and we think that we need to reinstate or partnership, identify areas of co-operation in order to strengthen development of both provinces and one of the issues that we’re focusing on really is to strengthen economic ties, identify projects that will assists our business people to invest to both provinces. There are many opportunities on the Mozambique side, one the areas we have identified for instance is agriculture.”
Mdakane says they also agreed on forming a business forum of businessmen from both provinces to benefit from this partnership.
Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza and the Maputo governor will soon sign a memorandum of understanding to seal the relations of both provinces.
Source: SABC
