The Portuguese government intends to accelerate the operationalisation of a €500 million financing line designed to support projects by Portuguese companies in Mozambique, acknowledging that the mechanism could begin functioning on a partial basis before its full implementation.
The assurance was given on Monday (31) by Portugal's Secretary of State for the Economy, João Ferreira, on the sidelines of the opening of the 61st edition of the Maputo International Trade Fair (FACIM 2026), held at Ricatla, in the district of Marracuene, Maputo Province.
'We are working and doing everything possible to move as quickly as possible,' the official said when questioned about the timeline for the line to become operational.
According to João Ferreira, the mechanism is being closely monitored by the governments of both countries and was raised again during the official visit of Mozambique's President, Daniel Chapo, to Portugal in July. 'It is a matter being worked on intensively between the two states and is being followed by the Portuguese government,' he explained.
The Secretary of State also acknowledged that the line could begin to be operationalised on a phased basis, allowing the first resources to reach companies while the necessary procedures for its full implementation are still under way. 'We hope to achieve operationalisation as quickly as possible — in a partial or initial form, a launch, but one that allows funds to reach companies,' he added.
The credit line stems from a protocol signed between Mozambique and Portugal in December, in Porto, during the sixth bilateral summit. The agreement provides for guarantees to be made available for sustainable development projects in Mozambique, particularly through the activities of Portuguese companies operating in the country.
In July, ahead of his official visit to Lisbon, Daniel Chapo had expressed the expectation that the first disbursements could take place during the second half of this year. 'We are working towards this, so that throughout this second half of the year there will already be disbursement of funds and the projects that have been defined can actually get under way,' the head of state said at the time.
Chapo explained that Mozambique had already submitted the projects that could benefit from the mechanism, with their realisation contingent on evaluation and approval by the competent authorities. 'We have already submitted the projects to be carried out in Mozambique. As you know, the credit line has a specific objective, which is to finance Portuguese companies that are investing in Mozambique and that are developing projects in Mozambique,' he stated.
According to the President, any eventual expansion of the line's value would depend on the performance of the financed projects, the monitoring of their execution, and compliance with payment obligations.
The 61st edition of the Maputo International Trade Fair (FACIM 2026) runs from 31 August to 6 September at the International Exhibition and Trade Centre in Ricatla, in the district of Marracuene, Maputo Province. The event brings together companies, investors, public institutions, and business delegations from approximately 30 countries.
According to data from the Agency for Investment and Export Promotion (APIEX), this year's edition features 3,150 exhibitors — 2,500 domestic and 650 foreign — and is expected to receive around 55,000 visitors over the seven-day period. The fair is held under the theme 'Digital and Energy Transformation Towards a Sustainable Economy', with a focus on sectors including energy, infrastructure, agro-industry, logistics, tourism, financial services, and digital technologies.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/08/31/negocios/facim-2026-portugal-quer-acelerar-linha-de-500-me-para-empresas-em-mocambique/
