The 2024 data reveals that Mozambique’s total exports to Africa amounted to approximately 1.592 billion US dollars, with trade remaining concentrated in Southern Africa. Mozambique benefits from preferential access through the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Free Trade Area, stated António do Rosário Grispos, the Secretary of State for Trade, at the opening of the MozExport conference in the city of Tete, central Mozambique.
The government sees the establishment of economic partnership agreements as a clear opportunity to increase and diversify the country’s export base, boosted by the active participation of the entrepreneurial spirit from the sector dominated by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), he added.
Mozambique currently holds multilateral partnership agreements with 15 countries of the Southern African Development Community — 54 states across the African continent — and with the 27 European Union countries. Additionally, it has bilateral preferential trade agreements with the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, Indonesia, neighboring Zimbabwe and Malawi, and unilateral agreements with China and the United States of America.
Economic partnership agreements essentially allow domestic production to access these markets free of customs duties and sometimes quotas, enhancing the competitiveness and inclusiveness of local production’s internationalization through exports, he explained.
The Secretary of State for Trade mentioned that Mozambique’s trade balance with the rest of the world in 2024, despite remaining in deficit, saw a 29% reduction in the deficit. It was negative by 1.416 billion dollars, with exports declining by 3% to 7.709 billion dollars (6.597 billion euros) and imports decreasing by 9% to 9.125 billion dollars (7.809 billion euros).
The preferential markets referenced absorbed only 49% of the total exported products. There is consistent growth in agricultural product exports, with a 13% increase, making up 12% of total exports. This demonstrates a level of diversification into new areas, although with limited business inclusion, as MSMEs contributed about 19% of total exports in 2024, the official noted.
António do Rosário Grispos assured that the Ministry of Economy will continue to provide technical assistance in accessing and mastering the opportunities available through economic partnership agreements with more specific and dedicated informative tools for the export process to various markets.
To effectively improve the investment and business climate, the government also approved measures to stimulate and support economic competitiveness, diversification of exports, and increased investments. This includes the recently launched Local Economic Development Financing Fund (FDEL), the extension of VAT exemption for the sugar, soap, and edible oil industrial sectors, and financial sector measures for restructuring and economic recovery.
Mozambique believes in the strategic potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area market and through the ‘Made in Mozambique’ initiative, the official concluded.
