Pretoria — President Thabo Mbeki is expected back in the country later this afternoon after a successful two-day visit to Mozambique.
Presidential spokesperson David Hlabane told BuaNews that after being granted freedom of the Maputo city yesterday by Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, the two leaders held a bilateral meeting with their respective ministers.
President Mbeki then toured the heroes' memorial site in Maputo before giving a lecture on the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) at the Higher Institute of International Affairs.
Later Mr Mbeki addressed the Mozambican National Assembly and emphasised that the two countries faced the challenge of ensuring the attainment of development and prosperity and other sister countries in the continent.
'With regard to our bilateral relations, our joint efforts to attract investment to Mozambique has seen South Africa becoming the largest foreign investor in this country, with R25-billion invested by the South African businesses and parastatals,' he said.
He said through the leadership of President Joaquim Chissano and his government, South Africa had managed to attract mega projects such as the Mozal Smelter and Sasol as well as about 220 large, medium and small enterprises.
'The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the industrial Development Corporation (IDC) have made the largest investments on the continent here in Mozambique,' Mr Mbeki said.
He explained that South Africa's leading black businessmen and women had engaged their counterparts in Mozambique through The Black Economic Empowerment Circle.
He said countries should revive and develop economies that 'brings them into the age of information and communication technology and build strong and valuable indigenous businessmen and women.' Mr Mbeki said through the Maputo Corridor, the two countries had learned lessons that would help the common task of development and implementation of the Bilateral Agreement on Road Transport for Goods and passengers.
On energy development, the President said the two countries would continue their engagements on the best possible options for the full utilisation of Cahora Bassa and ensure that agreement was reached that benefited mainly the people of Mozambique
