SA, Mozambique strengthen ties

Monday, September 1, 2014

Pretoria - Ties between South Africa and Mozambique have been strengthened with the conclusion of the 50th Feira International de Maputo (FACIM), said the Department of Trade and Industry (dti).

Director for Export Promotion at the dti, Dr Julius Nyalunga, said the fair had strengthened future business partnerships.

The dti had taken a delegation of 28 local companies to showcase their products and services at the weeklong FACIM, which concluded on Sunday.

“Our aim for showcasing at FACIM was to confirm that the sectors we had identified were the ideal sectors and to determine that the companies we had taken on board were the ideal companies.

“One other most important thing is that we have taken an approach whereby we would also want to see that the companies that we bring along are companies that can be able to sustain the volumes of opportunities that exist in this market. Based upon the reception that our companies had received during the fair I can confirm that we have achieved both,” said Nyalunga.

He further added that South Africa was recognised as the only African country to have participated in the development and sustainability of FACIM as a trade show out of three countries in the world during the course of the fair.

“The culture of doing business in Mozambique is very different to that of South Africa and it is of the outmost importance that local businesspeople ensure that they engage our economic office based in Mozambique as a first port of call when venturing into the country. They are the people vested with all the knowledge they would require to engage successfully in the Mozambican economy,” he said.

Nyalunga added that the dti held interviews with several companies that participated during the course of FACIM and can confirm success in terms of leads acquired that would still need to be pursued further beyond the trade fair.

“We have managed to resuscitate and strengthen ties between ourselves and the Mozambicans in terms for future business using FACIM as a platform in increasing trade and investment between Mozambique and South Africa,” said Nyalunga.

Matome Kgowedi, Economic Counsellor for the dti in Mozambique said: “Our competitors are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that they fully utilise opportunities presented by FACIM as the only biggest international multi-sectoral trade show to showcase their capabilities in providing goods and services”. – SAnews.gov.za