Timber smuggling in Cabo Delgado province has been a source of illegal income, generating losses to the country of around 125 million meticais a month, according to recent reports. This illegal trade has devastating impacts on the environment and the local economy, and is one of the authorities’ concerns.

At the same time, there is an effort to train small and medium-sized companies in three of the country’s provinces – Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Tete – in management and personal initiative. It is believed that these companies will be able to offer services in the mega-projects to extract natural resources in these regions.

In the city of Tete, the Conecta Negócios pilot project has begun, financed by the World Bank, with the participation of sixty companies from various sectors. This project aims to eliminate the barriers that many national companies face when trying to supply services to mega-projects.

It is hoped that this initiative will not only empower local companies, but also help to reduce dependence on timber smuggling and promote more sustainable economic development in Cabo Delgado and the surrounding provinces.

The Confederation of Economic Associations (CTA) held a meeting with companies on Tuesday, March 19, to discuss the implementation of the PAC – Conformity Assessment Program. The meeting aimed to align the actions to be taken in relation to the program.

During the meeting, the participants raised issues related to the decree, especially in relation to the practices of INTERTEK, the British guarantee, inspection, product testing and certification company, which is treating the various sectors differently.

According to the CTA press release, the companies agreed that it is essential for the private sector, in all sectors, to be aligned in its approach. To this end, a study is to be carried out which will provide recommendations and guidelines for the future.

The results of this study will be presented at the 19th Annual Conference of Productive Sectors (CASP), scheduled for May 15, 16 and 17 this year.

The city of Porto, Portugal, will host the Mozambique-Portugal Business Forum, organized by the Confederation of Economic Associations (CTA), on April 15. The event, which had initially been scheduled for November 2023 in conjunction with the 6th Portugal-Mozambique summit, will address issues relevant to both countries in the Oil and Gas, Agro-industry, Construction and Renewable Energy sectors.

In addition to these sectors, the forum will also address the latest developments in the areas of Finance, Services, Transport, Logistics, Industry and Tourism, providing a space for debate and the exchange of experiences between businesspeople and representatives from the two countries.

A Mozambican business mission, whose numbers have not yet been released, will also take part in the forum and will visit the cities of Lisbon and Porto between April 10 and 15. The mission is scheduled to arrive on the 10th, with company visits scheduled for the 11th and 12th.

The Mozambique-Portugal Business Forum is an opportunity to strengthen commercial ties and cooperation between the two countries, as well as promoting investments and strategic partnerships that will boost the economic development of both countries.