President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africa and Mozambique to take advantage of opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to achieve sustainable development and inclusive economic growth.
The two neighbouring countries need to deepen intra-African trade and build economic resilience into the future, he said.
AfCFTA is a trade agreement between the AU’s 55 member states creating a single, continent-wide market with combined GDP of about $3.4-trillion, serving a population of about 1.3-billion people.
Speaking at the fourth Mozambique-SA Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Maputo on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said the event would extend efforts was a continuation to take bilateral relations to a higher level.
“South Africa is a trusted and reliable partner of Mozambique. Mozambique is South Africa’s largest trading partner in the region. It is in the top quartile of our exports globally. Mozambique is also host to more than 300 South African companies. We are keen to see more Mozambican investment in South Africa,” Ramaphosa said.
South African exports to Mozambique totalled R19.4bn in 2024 compared to R18.9bn in 2023.
The two countries have signed more than 70 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) in various sectors, including agriculture, defence, border management, health, transport, labour, investments and customs administration, among others.
Ramaphosa noted the two nations were meeting at a time of increasing global challenges and uncertainties, when multilateralism and rules-based international order were under threat.
“Civil strife, conflict and war are robbing entire generations of the peace, stability and development that is their due,” he said.
Ramaphosa’s Mozambican counterpart, Daniel Chapo, attended the BNC. He was sworn in in January after months of protests against his disputed election victory in October 2024. More than 300 people were killed during the post-election violence.
Chapo is the leader of Frelimo party, which has governed Mozambique since its independence from Portugal in 1975.
Ramaphosa called on the two countries to strive for global peace, stability, justice and respect for international law.
Ramaphosa’s delegation includes ministers from the presidency, international relations and co-operation, defence, agriculture, tourism, finance, transport, higher education, social development, trade, industry and competition, and electricity and energy.
The president said the reports to be presented by South African ministers on Wednesday would underscore the strategic nature of bilateral relations between the two nations.
It is essential that South Africa and Mozambique implement their decisions and identify new areas of opportunity, he said.
“By way of example, we should build on the progress with the Maputo Development Corridor. It is a major transportation network and economic zone linking our two economies. Facilitating the movement of goods and people between countries has contributed to stronger ties and is having a positive multiplier effect in other critical sectors such as tourism,” Ramaphosa said.
The Maputo Development Corridor is a joint South African and Mozambican project that connects South Africa’s economic and financial hub of Gauteng with the deepwater port of Maputo via road and rail. The corridor is a major transport route launched in 1996 and comprising road, rail, border posts, port and terminal facilities.
Later on Wednesday, Ramaphosa was expected to visit the Inhambane Province to officiate at the launch of the Sasol Hydrocarbons Processing Integrated Infrastructure. “This is another shining example of how two friendly neighbours can collaborate effectively. The project also illustrates how public-private sector partnerships can be used to great effect,” Ramaphosa said.
The BNC session needed to focus on expanding all areas of cooperation, including accelerating people-to-people ties and cultural links, he said.
He said the MOUs signed on Wednesday “are a significant development and provide impetus towards concretising our co-operation”.
“We agreed that we need to implement decisions, identify opportunities and explore investment avenues to the mutual benefit of our two countries. South Africa’s development finance institutions, state-owned enterprises and private companies stand ready to be partners.”
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