According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), China has recently become Mozambique’s major creditor – a position it is expected to maintain.
A survey by the Chinese news agency Xinhua shows that the current focus is on the Catembe Bridge in Maputo, and the new port in Mozambique’s second largest city of Beira.
The 3 000 metre-long bridge, due to open in 2017, has been under construction since 2014 and is an investment estimated at R4.65 billion.
Construction of the new port of Beira by the China Harbour Engineering Company began in September 2015. It is expected to revitalise the country’s fishing industry and will serve the entire production chain, including refrigeration and export of processed products.
Xinhau also lists the Maputo Ring Road, with funding from the Export-Import (ExIm) Bank of China by the China Road and Bridge Corporation, which is also responsible for the design of the Catembe bridge.
The ExIm Bank financing also allowed for completion in 2012 of the new Maputo International Airport terminal.
Analysts have projected that this trend in China/Mozambique co-operation is to grow even stronger.
