Online Reporter
Wallace Ruzvidzo in MAPUTO, Mozambique
ZIMBABWE and Mozambique are working on boosting trade relations to match their excellent bi-lateral and political relations, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Mozambique, Victor Matemadanda, has said.
In an interview here yesterday, Ambassador Matemadanda said they were working tirelessly to ensure increased economic co-operation between Harare and Maputo.
“We are working on that day and night, and there is an improvement. But I want to mention that it is something that we did not take seriously at the right time, because if you consider the (political) relations between Mozambique and Zimbabwe, you would also expect the levels of trade to be high, but that is not the case.
“In fact, we have some people or some countries that did not participate in Mozambique (ending civil strife) being in the lead, and we are also worried why we allowed such a situation,” he said.
Zimbabwe has been part of the traditional foreign investors in Mozambique for the last three decades, having reduced its participation in recent years, motivated by the well-known challenges that have afflicted not only Zimbabwe but most countries in the SADC region and the African continent at large.
However, Ambassador Matemadanda said there are ongoing initiatives currently being rolled out to ensure increased economic co-operation between the two countries.
“We hope that with time, things will improve, and they are definitely improving. There are a lot of programmes that are being done by ZimTrade and other business organisations in Zimbabwe, which we think are going to add value to the development initiatives and capacities of Zimbabwe’s trade with Mozambique,” he said.
During his visit to Zimbabwe when he officially opened this year’s edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in April, Mozambican President Daniel Chapo said Mozambique and Zimbabwe are one.
“Mozambique is Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe is Mozambique. We are one!”, he said while highlighting that the two countries not only share a border, but have deep-rooted political, economic and cultural relations dating back to the pre-independence era.
“It is a fact that co-operation with the Republic of Zimbabwe has great significance for Mozambique, not only because of the sharing of common borders, but also because of the deep historical ties of political, economic and cultural coexistence which date back to the times of the national liberation struggle which, over the decades, have translated into active and mutual support in the defence and consolidation of our sovereignties and have crystallised in close co-operation at bilateral, regional and continental levels,” said the Mozambican leader.
President Chapo said between 2015 and 2024, 37 projects with the capacity of creating 1 649 jobs had been created.
He said these projects involve private investors from Zimbabwe and have a total value of around US$120 million, of which the equivalent of around US$35 million was direct investment.
Zimbabwe’s investments are mainly in the aquaculture and fisheries, tourism and manufacturing industry sectors.
“Therefore, in terms of private investment, between our two countries, we noted with satisfaction the presence of foreign direct investment from Zimbabwean companies in Mozambique, which, although modest, expresses the willingness of businesspeople from our countries to explore intra-African investment opportunities,” said the Mozambican President.
