The Secretary of State for Tourism, Trade and Services of Portugal, Pedro Machado, criticized on Wednesday, August 27, the excessive bureaucracy in Mozambique’s business environment, stating that it hinders growth, development, and the promotion of investments in the country.
“Bureaucracy is something that companies and entrepreneurs struggle with; it is not friendly to the economic environment and often undermines ambitions for growth, development, and investment,” Machado said during the launch of the “Directory 2025”, which highlights Mozambique’s business potential.
Citing Lusa, Machado added that business environment barriers are not unique to Mozambique and called for efforts from both the government and the private sector to remove them, as they hinder the development of countries. “Those who develop, create businesses and jobs, are the companies—and the state should not get in the way.”
The Secretary of State for Tourism, Trade and Services reiterated Portugal’s willingness to support Mozambique in training personnel and sharing experiences in the economic sector. “We are ready to cooperate in terms of training and capacity building, whether through hotel school projects or other initiatives that strengthen Mozambique’s presence and competitiveness,” he concluded.
This week, Pedro Machado described Portugal’s participation in the 60th edition of the Maputo International Fair (FACIM) as a decisive step to reinforce bilateral relations with Mozambique, positioning the event as a “kick-off” for the Luso-Mozambican summit, scheduled for December in Lisbon. The minister, who inaugurated Portugal’s pavilion, emphasized the fair’s relevance for economic diplomacy. “Participation in FACIM is very important for Portugal, not only because of the bilateral relations we have maintained with Mozambique over decades, but mainly because it opens new investment opportunities,” he said after visiting the Portuguese exhibitors at the event.
According to Machado, conditions are in place to further strengthen economic and cultural cooperation, leveraging the shared language and history as tools of connection. “Portuguese culture and language are essential vehicles for reinforcing not only economic ties but also the relationship between peoples,” he emphasized.
Source: Diário Económico
