The Mozambique Chamber of Commerce (CCM) continues to strengthen ties with international partners, and Germany has been a key ally. During a Business to Business meeting that took place this Tuesday, 10 September, between German and Mozambican businesspeople, Yolanda Fernandes, vice-president of the CCM, highlighted the importance of these partnerships.
‘One of our objectives is to promote business in the country, to connect entrepreneurs to the outside world, and Germany has been a partner,’ said Fernandes, adding that this year alone, this is the second delegation of German entrepreneurs to visit the country.
This time, the German delegation includes eight businesspeople interested in exploring opportunities in sectors such as agriculture, mining, geotechnology and logistics.
‘One of the companies represented here is interested in working in the area of port logistics,’ said Fernandes, highlighting the potential of the Mozambican coast, which stretches for around 2700 kilometres. She emphasised that by collaborating with Germany, known for its ‘high quality technology,’ Mozambique will be able to leverage its logistics capabilities.
Holger Hey, the representative of the German-Southern African Chamber of Commerce in Mozambique, also commented on the opportunities for cooperation, pointing out that Germany has a lot to offer the Mozambican market, especially in terms of technology and training.
‘We still have a lot of activities to develop here so that we can access the international market with Mozambican products,’ he said.
Hey emphasised Mozambique’s potential in agricultural areas, such as coffee and potato production, which could benefit from medium and large German technologies.
‘The coffee here is very valuable, very good, of excellent international quality,’ he said, emphasising the need for suitable equipment to develop these industries.
‘Bayer, for example, is already present in the Mozambican market, bringing fertiliser and pesticide solutions adapted to the local climate and production needs,’ he explained.
Logistics was another central point in the discussions. Fernandes mentioned that German businesspeople are exploring the opportunities of the Port of Maputo, and that there is interest in investing in port infrastructure.
Co-operation in the logistics area between Mozambique and Germany is important
For his part, Hey emphasised the importance of cooperation in the area of logistics, pointing out that Germany has vast experience in port technology and cold chain logistics, which are essential for transporting fresh produce.
‘We have specialists here to understand the opportunities in the market and for those here to also realise that German technology is worth looking at,’ he stressed.
The presence of companies like DHL, which has been operating in Mozambique for decades, demonstrates the Germans’ continued interest in developing the country’s logistics sector. ‘
The value of a port, especially given Mozambique’s geostrategic situation, is the hinterland,’ said Hey, explaining that this connectivity between Mozambican ports and neighbouring countries is crucial for the growth of international trade.
With these meetings and business visits, CCM aims to create more opportunities for the private sector and strengthen national capacities in various strategic areas.
‘This is what we are doing, bringing this development to Mozambique, doing what we can with the little we have, but creating the conditions for our business community to have the paths to navigate,’ concluded Fernandes.
Florença Nhabinde
