Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Italian government yesterday expressed interest in investing in agribusiness and rural development projects in Mozambique, to help make the country “richer and stronger”.
“I confirm Italy’s willingness to work together to strengthen Mozambique and make it a richer and stronger country. This is the objective of the ‘Mattei Plan’, through which we are investing in nine African states and nations,” Italy’s Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, told reporters in Maputo.
The Italian Minister, who participated in the business forum between the two countries in the Mozambican capital, considered Mozambique a “fundamental” country for the development of the African continent and, therefore, a strategic partner for Italy.
The Mozambican government announced that it is negotiating an agreement to finance agribusiness projects, in addition to others already underway, which could involve approximately €160 million.
“We have a portfolio of cooperation projects already underway and others for which we are finalizing negotiations worth approximately €160 million. These projects are primarily focused on promoting agribusiness, women’s inclusion, rural development, and the development of the value chain along the Beira corridor,” said Roberto Albino, Mozambique’s Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries, at the same event.
According to Minister Albino, this forum allows businesspeople from both countries to be told that both governments promise support so that they can “seize cooperation opportunities”, such as doing business to benefit the Mozambican private sector, generating jobs, and promoting the import of products they can produce “competitively” while also exploring export opportunities.
Roberto Albino considered the event a moment to elevate economic cooperation between the two countries in the agricultural sector to “another level”.
“We hope this will be a meeting to truly share the best cooperation opportunities between the two countries, but above all, to bring the Italian and Mozambican private sectors together to explore the vast and immense business opportunities that exist here,” he added.
Italy has a €300 million financing portfolio of “active cooperation projects” in Mozambique, according to recent official information.
“In the province of Manica [central part of the country] alone, we will boost the agricultural sector with an investment of €100 million,” Gabriele Annis, Italy’s ambassador to Mozambique, said in June.
According to the diplomat, of the investment in Manica, €38 million will be used to create an agri-food centre in the city of Chimoio, the provincial capital, aiming to transform local agriculture into “industrial agriculture”.
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