This Wednesday, November 22, saw the start of the first edition of the Gateway Mozambique – European Union (EU) Global Investment Forum, a joint organization of the Government of Mozambique with the EU Delegation and the Association of European Chambers of Commerce (EUROCAM).
In her first speech, the European Union (EU) Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, revealed that the organization she represents has already invested around 428 million euros, since 2021, in priority areas for the country’s development.
“Our priorities with Mozambique are clear. First is inclusive social and economic development, as outlined in the country’s ambitious five-year Development Plan. And secondly, we want to boost ecological development, support young people and improve peace security and governance challenges. To achieve these goals, the EU has allocated 428 million euros to our partnership with Mozambique between 2021 and 2024,” he revealed, stressing that sustainable growth can only be achieved by uniting the public and private sectors and creating the right incentives to unlock the country’s potential.
And because the issue of energy is at the top of governments’ agendas these days, Kadri Simson lamented the fact that half of the Mozambican population still does not have adequate access to reliable, sustainable and affordable energy. In order to attract more private sector investment in the energy area, she said that the EU is eliminating some of the risks involved in the renewable energy sector through innovative financial instruments.
“There are also opportunities for investment in the agricultural sector, as well as huge untapped potential in the Indian Ocean for sustainable fishing, tourism and energy production. So there are solid arguments in favor of investment in this country,” said the EU commissioner.
The impact of the war in Eastern Europe on Mozambique also deserved Kadri Simson’s attention: “We have all faced some unprecedented shocks, from skyrocketing inflation to the volatility of the global food and energy markets. I know that here in Mozambique, the disruption of the global fertilizer supply has had a significant impact, which is why there is a renewed urgency to deepen our partnership in order to tackle challenges together to create opportunities.”
With the theme “Creating Business Opportunities”, and taking place on November 22 and 23, the Global Gateway Forum is an event that brings together various stakeholders from the national and European public and private sectors, with the aim of exploring strategies for attracting quality investments, within the scope of the European Union’s Global Gateway Strategy, and boosting trade between Mozambique and the European market.
