Maputo, 15 Jun (AIM) – The Mozambican Minister of Transport and Logistics, João Matlombe, believes that the country’s economic development demands integrated corridors, structural reforms and private investment in transport, ports, roads, and aviation.
Speaking on Friday at a working meeting with the country’s Confederation of Business Associations (CTA), Matlombe presented a new approach geared towards reorganizing the sector and integrating infrastructure to support the national logistics chain.
According to the minister, the country has underexploited its geostrategic potential while “our geographical location is a structural advantage that has not yet been fully capitalized upon, despite several landlocked countries in the region depending on national infrastructure.”
“We have a coastline of over 2,700 kilometres, we have ports, and we have hinterland countries that depend on Mozambique. This positioning should have a deeper impact on the national economic structure”, he said.
The contribution of the logistics sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), he said, remains low, “which means that the focus on logistics must serve as a linchpin for economic transformation.”
“The ongoing reform includes integrating previously fragmented areas such as ports, railways, roads, and aviation under a single logic of coordination and decision-making”, he said.
“In Maputo corridor, we are talking about around 2.5 billion US dollars in investment”, he added.
The Executive also advocated for the liberalization of the railway sector by allowing the entry of new operators and reducing the current monopolistic model to increase efficiency and lower costs.
“The criteria for success will be completed by works, improved services, and reduced logistics costs, rather than just approved documents.
(AIM)
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