Mozambique, SA hold economic meeting

Mozambique and South Africa on Friday agreed to speed up work on new energy-production projects to benefit both countries, South African Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa said.

“Energy presents challenges and opportunities in our region [the Southern African Development Community]. In today’s meetings we agreed to speed up work on the need to unlock opportunities we have in the region for the benefit of both nations,” he told reporters at the close of a one-day binational commission in Maputo.

The meeting, also attended by South African President Thabo Mbeki and his Mozambican counterpart, Armando Guebuza, was one of regular economic meetings held by the two countries every six months.

Mozambican Tourism Minister Fernando Sumbana, who also addressed reporters, said the summit had discussed various projects in the mining, tourism, agriculture and immigration areas.

Mpahlwa added that the Mozambican and South African presidents would be invited to a regional meeting on special development projects to be held in June this year, in South Africa.

Friday’s meeting also evaluated the work of law-enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking and the entry of contraband goods in both countries.

Recently, there had been an increase in reports of cases of human trafficking from Mozambique to South Africa.

Mpahlwa said both countries had intensified the training of law enforcers from immigration, customs and police units, and that this had resulted in the arrest of human traffickers.

In January, at least 49 children were rescued after they were allegedly trafficked to South Africa.

On Thursday, Mozambique approved an anti-trafficking law that will lead to the prosecution of those found guilty.—Sapa