Brazilian and Mozambican officials take part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Brazilian pavilion during the Maputo International Trade Fair (FACIM) in Maputo. Credit: FACIM Mozambique

NNA News - Brazil and Mozambique are seeking to move their economic relationship beyond traditional trade, with Brazilian companies exploring investment, local production and partnerships as Mozambique positions itself as a gateway to the wider Southern African market.

The push was highlighted during the 61st Maputo International Trade Fair (FACIM), where Brazil is this year’s country of honour. Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) President Laudemir Müller led the Brazilian business delegation, which included companies, cooperatives and organisations. The Brazilian delegation held business meetings with Mozambican companies, while Müller met twice with Mozambican President Daniel Chapo to discuss areas of cooperation between the two governments.

Müller said Brazil wanted the relationship to focus increasingly on building productive capacity in Mozambique rather than simply exporting Brazilian goods. “Instead of a relationship based exclusively on the export of products, we want to build local production capacity, develop suppliers and integrate technology and technical knowledge into the Mozambican business sector,” he said. He said 64 Brazilian companies were already exporting to Mozambique and expressed Brazil’s ambition to become a priority economic partner. “Of course, it is not the only one, but we want to be a priority country for Mozambique,” Müller said.

Mozambique is also being promoted as a potential platform for Brazilian companies seeking access to other markets in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). “Mozambique is the ideal logistics platform and natural gateway for Brazilian products and investments to access the member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC),” Müller said.

The two countries are also considering a direct air link between Brazil and Maputo. Müller said negotiations were under way and that an announcement could come in the coming weeks. The proposed connection is intended to support passenger travel, business and cargo flows.

Álvaro Massingue, president of the Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique, said Mozambique wanted to attract Brazilian capital not only for its domestic market but also for wider expansion across Africa. “We want Brazilian capital to find in Mozambique not only a market, but a platform for production and expansion into Africa,” he said.

He said the organisation was prepared to facilitate business-to-business engagements, identify opportunities and help turn proposed cooperation into commercial projects. Brazilian Foreign Ministry official Carlos Moscardo said the government was prepared to help translate discussions into concrete projects. “Everyone here is willing to collaborate with this project to resume relations with Africa, and in this specific case with Mozambique, with new energy and new momentum, and make these projects much more concrete,” he said.

Brazilian Ambassador to Mozambique Ademar Seabra identified technical and vocational training as another important component of the partnership. “We welcome everyone who is here, precisely in the implementation of this support for technical and vocational training, and human capital is indispensable, without a doubt, because without it, none of this would stand,” he said. The cooperation agenda covers areas including agriculture, hydrocarbons, renewable energy, infrastructure, health, aviation, services and digitalisation. Seabra said progress had already been made in several of these areas following Lula’s visit to Mozambique last year. The partnership is also supported by the Mozambique-Brazil Cooperation and Facilitation Agreement for Investments and cooperation between ApexBrasil and Mozambique’s APIEX.

APIEX Director-General Luís José Machava called for the relationship to translate longstanding diplomatic and cultural ties into investment and industrial development. “Cooperation between Mozambique and Brazil ignites deep historical and cultural ties and sincere friendship. However, today we are called upon to translate this heritage into a structured flow of direct investment, bilateral trade, and vibrant, innovative partnerships that drive industrialization and the sustainable development of both countries,” he said.

The FACIM mission forms part of ApexBrasil’s wider Southern Africa business programme, which also included Angola, South Africa and Zambia.