Pretoria – Mozambican President, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, is to pay his first State Visit to South Africa, this week.
President Nyusi’s visit, which follows an invitation by President Jacob Zuma, will further deepen the existing bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries.
According to the Presidency, the two countries enjoy a cordial relationship and President Zuma has visited Mozambique twice this year, first on a State Visit in May and in September where the two Heads of State unveiled the Matola monument in memory of South African martyrs who were killed by the apartheid regime during its infamous raids to neighbouring countries in search of African National Congress (ANC) targets.
During the visit, relations between the two countries will be elevated into a Binational Commission (BNC).
The BNC will replace the Heads of State Economic Bilateral Forum (HOSEB) and the Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation (JPCC).
The two Presidents will chair the BNC which will meet annually alternating between the Pretoria and Maputo.
Thursday’s South Africa-Mozambique BNC, which will be held in Pretoria, will be preceded by a ministerial meeting and a senior officials’ meeting from Monday.
“Historically, Mozambique and South Africa have strong economic relations as evidenced not only by the presence of over 300 companies operating in Mozambique, but also in the high number of trade volumes.
“Mozambique remains South Africa’s top trading partner in Africa. In 2014, South African exports to Mozambique amounted to R32.6 billion, while imports from Mozambique to South Africa totalled R11.3 billion,” said the Presidency. – SAnews.gov.za
