Africa-Press – Mozambique. Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique will invest a total of three million dollars in a feasibility study for the construction of a deep-water port in Techobanine, Matutuíne district, Maputo province, and a railway line, the heads of state have announced.
“We have reached an agreement for each country, between the three, to invest one million dollars to carry out the feasibility study,” said the head of state of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi, after a meeting with Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi , who began a working visit to Gaborone on Wednesday.
READ: Botswana, Zimbabwe forge ahead with US$600m rail project to Mozambique’s Techobanine port
The project, which is expected to involve the private sector, includes a railway line linking the three countries over a length of 1,100 kilometres.
According to the Botswana head of state, the aim is to boost trade relations between the three countries, facilitating the export and import of products, particularly oil.
“We have the development of this port as a commitment,” Mokgweetsi Masisi said.
In his turn, the Mozambican head of state invited presidents Mokgweetsi Masisi and Emmerson Mnangagwa to fly over and visit the area where the port will be built in Techobanine, reiterating the importance of private sector involvement in a project being budgeted at around 7 billion US dollars, according the the TVM report (below).
“We will make this visit as soon as possible,” stressed Filipe Nyusi.
As well as discussing the project to build the deep-water port and railway line, during Filipe Nyusi’s visit, Mozambique and Botswana signed cooperation agreements to also boost areas such as agriculture and energy, as well as biodiversity conservation and defence, sectors in which the two nations already have ties.
“We want to express our gratitude for the support that this country has been giving to Mozambique. It is not simple solidarity, they support us in means and resources to mitigate the suffering of Mozambicans,” said Filipe Nyusi.
Filipe Nyusi’s visit to Botswana ends on Saturday and, in addition to members of the government, the Mozambican head of state is accompanied by members of parliament, some of them from opposition parties.
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