Nairobi — Today is the time "to break definitively with the pattern of exporting raw materials and instead to affirm Africa as a continent of industrialisation, innovation and the creation of added value, particularly jobs for our young people', declared Mozambican President Daniel Chapo on Wednesday.
He was speaking in Nairobi at the opening of Kenya's Fourth International Investment Conference, which is taking place under the theme "Unblocking Investment Opportunities to Drive the Transformation of Kenya'.
Chapo said this theme captures "the historic crossroads at which our continent finds itself'. He noted that for decades Africa "has been defined by its potential. It is, without doubt, the continent of the future. But today the challenge of our time is no longer to identify opportunities -it is to unblock them with firm political decisions, patient capital, and strategic partnerships that meet African priorities'.
Unblocking opportunities, Chapo continued, meant "creating a climate of trust between the public sector, governments and the private sector, with peace, stability, predictability and very clear rules'.
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It also meant "structuring viable projects, with technical quality and bankability, and building smart partnerships which combine capital, technology and local knowledge'.
By accepting this agenda, Kenya "is positioning itself as one of the main motors of economic innovation in Africa', Chapo said.
He added that, with the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, "we are building the largest integrated market in the world with a combined GDP of more than 3.4 trillion US dollars'.
In the recent past, Africa had fought for its political liberation. "But today, we have another historical imperative', said Chapo, "to invite our brothers from across the globe to the development of our continent'.
What is at stake in the Nairobi forum, he added, "is not just the promotion of investment opportunities - it is the redefinition of the role of Africa in the global economy.'
Mozambique was presenting itself as a strategic partner in this continental transformation.
Chapo stressed that Mozambique has over 36 million hectares of arable land, of which only 15 per cent is currently in use, which creates "singular opportunities for the development of agro-industrial value chains, complementing the experience of Kenya in agricultural innovation and access to markets'.
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In the domain of renewable energies, he said, "Kenya and Mozambique share a common vision of energy transition. Mozambique possesses a series of energy assets which make it the energy hub of southern Africa'.
These assets included hydro-electric potential of more than 12,000 megawatts and more than 180 trillion cubic feet of reserves of natural gas. Four major liquefied natural gas projects are under way or planned with a total investment of between 50 and 60 billion US dollars.
Chapo added that Mozambique has one of the world's largest known deposits of graphite, a mineral essential for electric batteries.
These assets, he said, not only allow us to guarantee energy security, but also to support the development of new industries.
Unblocking opportunities, continued Chapo, "requires more than resources. It requires trust, reforms and strategic vision'. Mozambique "is committed to creating a competitive investment environment'. This would include "administrative simplification in the public sector' and "greater regulatory predictability'.
"We are working to guarantee that investing in Kenya and investing in Mozambique is synonymous with security, predictability and sustainable return', Chapo declared.
"Our message to the investors present here is clear', he added. "Kenya and Mozambique are united, open to investment and prepared for partnerships'.
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