Maputo — Mozambique and Tanzania intend to introduce coastal shipping services in order to boost trade between the two countries, undertaken by small and medium-sized enterprises.
According to Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, who was speaking to reporters, on Wednesday, in Dar es Salaam, on the last day of his working visit to Tanzania, in order to put this intention into practice, the Mozambican government is due to organize a Business Forum between the two countries in the near future to explore the commercial gains that maritime trade will bring to the citizens of both countries.
"One of the things that can be thought of and that can immediately begin is coastal traffic between the ports, from Dar es Salaam, from Mtwara [in Tanzania] to the port of Nacala [in the northern Mozambican province of Nampula] even passing through the port of Pemba [in Cabo Delgado province] because this movement will bring some activity to small and medium-sized entrepreneurs', he said.
He explained that there are Mozambican products that are in demand by Tanzanians, such as cashew nuts, cement, zinc sheeting, just as Tanzania also has goods that are in demand in Mozambique.
"There's a lot that Tanzanians need in Mozambique, they have factories that sometimes don't have products, so we'll have to organize a more structured business forum between Mozambique and Tanzania', he said.
On the other hand, delegations from Mozambique and Tanzania expressed their concern at the significant drop in trade between the two neighboring countries, which fell from 55.8 million dollars in 2022 to 20.1 million dollars in 2023.
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"During our discussions, we analyzed ways and means of reversing this dismal trade situation', Nyusi said.
However, the President believes that there will be greater maritime circulation between the two countries in the near future. "The stability of the metical [the Mozambican currency] helps a lot for those who want to do business in Mozambique. It doesn't fluctuate much', he said.
Nyusi, on Wednesday, also took part as a guest in the official opening ceremony of the 48th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair.
At a meeting on Tuesday in Dar es Salaam, with Mozambicans resident in Tanzania, his audience asked Nyusi who is sponsoring and financing the terrorist raids that have ravaged parts of Cabo Delgado province since 2017.
But Nyusi could not give them any names. "We don't know very well who is financing them', he admitted, "but we are following the matter. The Defence and Security Forces are investigating. Now we have measures against the financing of terrorism'.
"Some names are appearing', he added. "They are being questioned, but we can't confirm that they are the ones'.
Nyusi stressed that caution is needed in investigating those suspected of collaborating with terrorism. He said that some evidence suggests that the sponsors of terrorism are rich individuals living in the major cities.
