1 December 2008
Doha — The Emir of Qatar, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani, has declared that his country is interested in investing in Mozambique, particularly in tourism, agro-processing, energy and infrastructures.
Al Thani expressed this interest in a private audience granted on Sunday night to Mozambican Prime Minister Luisa Diogo, who is in the Qatari capital, Doha, to attend the UN Conference on Development Finance.
Al Thani had first stated that Qatari businesses would be interested in investing in Mozambique during a brief meeting with President Armando Guebuza in New York, where both men were attending the UN General Assembly.
Diogo told reporters that in particular she had spoken with the Emir about the possibility of investing in tourism and infrastructure in the northern port of Nacala. Qatar, she said, has high levels of liquidity, thanks to its status as a major oil and gas producer, and wants to invest that money in stable countries which can provide a good return on the investment in the medium and long terms.
"When I told the Emir that you can fly from Nacala to Madrid in five hours, he was impressed", said Diogo. She regarded Nacala as a hub from which tourist packages inside and outside Mozambique can be created.
"Mozambique can offer stability, which is very beneficial for investments", she said. "It has a privileged geographical position in southern Africa, strong agricultural potential, and a leadership which is serious and committed to furthering the advance of the country".
Diogo said she would also like to see Qatari investment in the energy sector, which would help Mozambique provide the energy required for a growing number of large scale industrial projects, and increase exports of electricity to other members of SADC (Southern African Development Community).
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