Pretoria — President Thabo Mbeki will lead a top government delegation to Mozambique for two-day talks with President Joaquim Chissano, later this afternoon, The discussions will focus on the continent's recovery plan, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad), and the new African Union and other issues of mutual and regional interest.
President Mbeki is expected to attend a memorial service for the late safety and security minister Steve Tshwete at the Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria West, before flying out to the neighbouring Portuguese-speaking country.
Accompanying Mr Mbeki in cementing relations between the two nations, will be foreign affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and other senior officials.
South Africa and Mozambique have since 1994, enjoyed close bilateral relations, underpinned by major macro-economic projects such as the multibillion Rand Maputo development corridor, the greater Limpopo Transfrontier peace park and the N4 toll road between Witbank and Maputo.
The two have since signed more than 20 agreements, under the Joint Permanent Commission for Co-operation (JPCC), covering various spheres such as fisheries, the Maputo harbour, natural gas, trade and agricultural development.
Last year, South Africa surpassed Portugal as the major investor in the Mozambican economy and enjoys a massive trade balance in its favour.
The country's exports to Mozambique amounted to R5 389 956, whilst imports amounted to R283 874. Mozambique is also currently South Africa's major trading partner in Africa.
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Mozambique is recovering from the prolonged civil conflict and the destructive floods that ravaged it two years ago and destroyed most of the country's infrastructure as well as its economy.
'Since 1994, the South Africa government, supported by the private sector, has identified various areas of possible bilateral co-operation which could promote regional economic integration processes, whilst simultaneously assisting Mozambique with its reconstruction and development programme,' said the foreign affairs department.
'Mozambique, given its strategic geo-political location in relation to South Africa, realised the mutual benefits which could accrue from close co-operation with South Africa in the field of the implementation of macro-economic projects,' the department stressed.
At least more than 250 South African companies are currently operating in Mozambique, representing a diverse spectrum of small, medium and large business concerns.
