The Government has recently expressed interest in accelerating bilateral cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), prioritizing investments in industry, agribusiness, energy, tourism, and logistics, with a particular focus on promoting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
According to an official statement, this intention was conveyed by Mozambique’s Minister of Economy, Basílio Muhate, during a meeting with the UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, on the sidelines of the Africa Debate Conference held on September 30 in the UAE.
In the statement released on Wednesday, October 8, Basílio Muhate highlighted the importance of the bilateral relationship between the two nations, emphasizing that it promotes good governance and development.
“Mozambique aims to leverage competitive opportunities and promote a mutually beneficial partnership with the United Arab Emirates, particularly in the sectors of industry, agriculture, fisheries, infrastructure, energy, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, and tourism,”
he stated.
For his part, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to signing a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Mozambique, stressing that it would strengthen investor confidence and further boost economic relations between the two countries.
The Africa Debate Conference brought together political leaders, representatives of international organizations, and businesspeople from various sectors under the theme “Shared Markets. Shared Future.” The event aimed to promote inclusive growth through strategic investments in priority areas such as logistics and value chains, energy transition, digital transformation, and trade and investment.
Over the past five years, UAE investment in Mozambique has reached nearly 5 billion USD (around 315 billion meticais), making the UAE Mozambique’s main economic partner during this period. The information was disclosed in April by the Secretary of State for Tourism, Fredson Bacar.
“Although Mozambique’s trade balance with the UAE remains unfavorable, exports have shown significant growth, reaching 639 million USD (around 40 billion meticais) compared to 4.1 billion USD (around 262 billion meticais) in imports,”
said Bacar, noting that there is “potential for growth and diversification in exports.”
The strengthening of trade and investment relations between Mozambique and the United Arab Emirates is seen as a key strategy to drive economic diversification and promote sustainable development in the country.
Source: Diário Económico
