MAPUTO, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Mozambique plans to attract more than 5.5 billion U.S. dollars in investments in the Beira and Nacala transport corridors to strengthen its position as a regional logistics hub and boost trade in Southern Africa, Mozambican President Daniel Chapo said Wednesday.
Speaking at the opening of the Mozambique Transport and Logistics Investment Forum and Exhibition in Maputo, the country's capital, Chapo said investments exceeding 1 billion dollars are planned for the Beira Corridor, covering port modernization, the development of an inland logistics terminal in Dondo and improvements at the Machipanda border crossing in central Mozambique.
In the Nacala Corridor, railway and port investments are estimated at around 4.5 billion dollars, aimed at transforming northern Mozambique into a platform for production, trade and industrialization, he added.
Chapo stressed that the corridors should serve not only as transit routes for goods but also as platforms for production, industrialization, job creation and economic development across Southern Africa.
He also called for institutional reforms, digitalization of services and improvements to the business environment to ensure that infrastructure investments translate into greater logistics efficiency.
Meanwhile, Onorio Manuel, vice president of the Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique, said the country had significant logistics assets but continued to face bottlenecks that limited their commercial potential.
He called for greater private sector participation in logistics infrastructure development, improved railway capacity and more efficient border procedures to facilitate regional trade.
The two-day forum brought together government officials, investors, financial institutions and transport operators to explore investment opportunities and strengthen regional connectivity. ■
