Pretoria - Fresh from visits to Nigeria and Benin, President Jacob Zuma will today depart for Maputo, Mozambique, on a state visit to that country.
Invited by his counterpart Armando Guebuza, the visit is aimed at deepening already existing bilateral political, economic and social relations between the two countries, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) said on Monday.
Zuma and Guebuza will hold talks concretising bilateral cooperation in key priority areas such as trade and investment, energy, mining, agriculture, communications, water, environmental affairs, arts and culture as well as science and technology.
The two will also exchange views regarding mutual cooperation at regional level, especially within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and discuss broad issues affecting the continent within the context of the African Union (AU).
During his visit, Zuma will lay a wreath at the Heroes Acre, as well as at the Matola Raid Memorial and Interpretative Centre, after which he will address the Joint Sitting of the Parliament of Mozambique and the Mozambique-South Africa Business Forum.
According to Dirco, several bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding will be signed during the visit.
South Africa and Mozambique share co-operative and friendly political and economic relations, both in a bilateral and multilateral context. The economic relationship is the strongest in the southern African region, with total exports in 2010 valued at R15.7 billion, while South Africa imported goods to the value of R3.7 billion during the same period.
Zuma will be supported by 11 Cabinet ministers, including those of Agriculture, Science and Technology; Energy; Mineral Resources; as well as Trade and Industry.
Investors have been showing interest in Mozambique's untapped oil and gas reserves and titanium mining is also a growing source of revenue.
Mozambique's economy suffered serious setbacks when it was hit by floods which affected about a quarter of the population and destroyed much of its infrastructure in 2000 and 2001.
The country also struggles with poverty, which remains widespread. While most of the population works the land, infrastructure nationwide still suffers from colonial neglect, war and under-investment.
