A delegation from the Mozambique-United States Chamber of Commerce (CCMUSA) met last Thursday, 20 March, with the Minister of Economy and Finance, Basílio Muhate, and other senior government officials, to discuss ways of boosting private investment and driving the country’s economic recovery.
According to a CCMUSA press release, the meeting took place at the Ministry of Economy in Maputo and was attended by more than 15 businesspeople from various private sector companies and institutions who are members of CCMUSA. During the meeting, the US investors praised Mozambique’s economic potential, but emphasised the need for a more stable, predictable and transparent business environment.
Minister Muhate recognised the current challenges, namely the negative effects of the recent violent demonstrations, and stressed the Executive’s commitment to regaining the confidence of economic agents. ‘Our ministry is new, but it was born with a clear mission: to remove barriers in the business environment, dialogue with the private sector and guarantee stability for growth,’ he said.
He reiterated the importance of an open and permanent channel of communication with businesspeople, as a way of finding joint solutions to the obstacles affecting the national economy, including the tourism, trade and industry sectors.
For his part, the president of CCMUSA, Onório Manuel, thanked the Mozambican government for its openness and reinforced the interest of US businesspeople in collaborating with the Executive in the industrialisation of the country, with emphasis on the local processing of raw materials, the generation of young jobs and the attraction of new investments.
Onório Manuel also took the opportunity to welcome the US government’s recent approval of loans for TotalEnergies to support structuring projects in Cabo Delgado province, which he said shows ‘the renewed confidence of international partners in Mozambique’s economic future.’
During the meeting, both parties agreed on the urgency of creating conditions of political stability and legal certainty so that investments can flourish in a sustainable way. CCMUSA reiterated its commitment to job creation, strengthening the local business fabric and inclusive economic recovery.
According to the organisation’s official statement, this visit marks ‘another important step in building a solid partnership between the public and private sectors, which is essential for making Mozambique an attractive and safe destination for national and international investors.’
