MAPUTO – South Africa is moving towards improving relations and trade with Mozambique in line with the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063.
Sindiswa Mququ, the Brand SA general manager, Africa and Middle East, told African News Agency (ANA), ahead of a round table dialogue session on Friday that South Africa and Mozambique had a lot more to benefit from with closer ties.
The 27th AU Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda, earlier in July, resolved to work towards the free movement of people and goods on the continent as part of Agenda 2063, which seeks “a global strategy to optimise use of Africa’s resources for the benefit of all Africans”.
In an exclusive interview on Thursday, Mququ said: “More has to be done for sustainable relations [with Mozambique].”
She said South Africa wanted to “deepen relations” with its neighbour.
Already the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement and the Agreement on One Stop Border Posts have been put into place between South Africa and Mozambique.
The creation of the Maputo Development Corridor linking the port of Maputo with South Africa’s industrial heartland was also in line with the AU Agenda 2063.
Total trade between South Africa and Mozambique was R43.9 billion in 2014, increasing from R39.5 billion in 2013.
The South African embassy in Mozambique and Brand SA will today (Friday) host the round table dialogue, which will include experts in economic policy development, government practitioners and business people from both countries.
Mququ said the dialogue session was aimed at promoting exchanges between South Africa and Mozambique in various aspects of economic and business development.
“We want to talk about things we are not happy with when doing business,” said Mququ, who was well aware her Mozambican counterparts had a few gripes they too wanted ironed out.
She said the trade partners had more in common than differences.
“The city resonates with me,” said Mququ, who has travelled extensively on the African continent and was visiting Maputo for the first time.
Clearly impressed with the welcome she received, Mququ said: “Even when you can’t speak Portuguese they will accommodate you.”
