Comunicação - Imprensa
France could be the gateway to Europe for Mozambican business
CTA held a meeting last Tuesday with French Ambassador to Mozambique, David Izzo, addressing, among other matters, how the Mozambican private sector can take advantage of the opportunities existing in France, in particular, and in the European Union in general, and what kind of business links can be established to foster partnerships between Mozambican and French entrepreneurs and the rest of the European Union.
At the meeting, the CTA made mention of recent statements by the Ambassador of France, cited by national media, to the effect that Mozambican companies were wasting investment opportunities offered by the European Union. The French diplomat explained in what context such statements were made and what their purpose was.
The CTA in turn recognised that this unfortunate reality was due to ignorance of these opportunities on the part of national companies, combined with poor access to appropriate channels of information.
During the meeting, the parties discussed how the Mozambican national private sector might harness these opportunities, and what kind of connections could be established to foster and strengthen partnerships between Mozambican and French entrepreneurs and with the rest of the European Union.
The CTA made itself available to serve as a vehicle for the dissemination of opportunities that France and the European Union offer, and be a facilitator of the national private sector accessing these opportunities. In this context, holding a France-Mozambique business and investment forum as an opportunity for sharing opportunities and establishing partnerships [might be desirable].
Total can play a relevant role in the transfer of know-how and training business
The CTA and the French Embassy also addressed the active involvement of France in the oil and gas industry in Mozambique, in particular that of Total in the Rovuma Basin, and discussed how the Embassy could advocate for the empowerment of national entrepreneurship, and for that company to prefer national content.
The CTA is aware of the weak ability of national companies to position themselves in the demanding market of the oil and gas industry. However, it understands that Total can play a relevant role in the transfer of know-how and in training of the business fabric in the supply of goods and services in areas explored by that company.
In this regard, CTA introduced the National Program of Companies Certification (PRONACER), currently in its implementation process, as its contribution to mitigating the difficulties which national companies still face in accessing markets.
Ambassador Izzo noted that Total was aware of the role it could play both in the matter of local content as well as in transfer of know-how.
Regarding local content, Total had been promoting seminars on local opportunities, with the aim of empowering companies about their procurement processes, as well as advertising existing business opportunities.
As for the transfer of know-how, the French multinational has a scholarship initiative for Mozambican students, and is opening two technical professional schools in the country, one in Cabo Delgado and the other in Maputo
Source: https://clubofmozambique.com/news/france-could-be-the-gateway-to-europe-for-mozambican-business-185354/
