More than five thousand micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are benefiting from the “Conecta Negócios Project”, an initiative by the Mozambican government funded by the World Bank with $15 million.
According to the Mozambican News Agency, the initiative focuses on certification, professionalization, and financing of MSMEs, preparing them to join the supply chains of major projects in Mozambique, with emphasis on the Nacala Logistics Corridor.
Joel Sauane, Business Development Specialist for Conecta Negócios, stated that the program has already achieved significant milestones. “The training process is coordinated in the provinces of Nampula, Tete, and Cabo Delgado, which are the priority regions, with support from the Northern Integrated Development Agency (ADIN) as a co-implementing entity.”
He explained that the training is structured to cover 9,000 MSMEs through two approaches. “In the first phase, SMEs are trained in business management, gender inclusion, green competitiveness, and digital skills. In the second phase, they undergo ISO 9001 certification, necessary to supply goods and services to megaprojects.”
“Scheduled for implementation until 2027, Conecta Negócios is a structuring project that aims to prepare Mozambican MSMEs to compete in more demanding markets, positioning them as strategic partners in national economic development,” he concluded.
In August, President Daniel Chapo, in Yokohama, emphasized the strategic importance of the Nacala Logistics Corridor, noting its “enormous potential to boost trade in Africa” and called on Japanese investors to accelerate its full operationalization.
Speaking at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), Chapo stated that the government is reviving the Economic Development Strategies Project for the Nacala Corridor, which connects Mozambique to Malawi and Zambia.
“We are confident that this corridor will stimulate regional economies by improving infrastructure and transport services, enabling greater flow of people, goods, and competitive access to global markets,” said the Head of State.
The Corridor and Its Background
The Nacala Corridor, operational since 2016, was established with an investment of $4.5 billion, involving the Brazilian multinational Vale, the Japanese conglomerate Mitsui, and the Mozambique Railways (CFM).
The infrastructure includes the deep-water port of Nacala in northern Mozambique and a 912 km railway line linking the port to Tete province, through which coal is exported, and also serving as a vital logistics corridor for landlocked Malawi and Zambia.
In 2023, then-President Filipe Nyusi inaugurated the new port facilities in Nacala and signed agreements with the governments of Malawi and Zambia to strengthen the joint use of the corridor, consolidating it as a regional transport and trade platform.
Source: Diário Económico
