Maputo, Dec. 2, 2025 (Lusa) - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa begins a two-day working visit to Mozambique on Tuesday, with plans to participate in the fourth joint commission and business forum between the two countries, according to the Mozambican Presidency.
According to a statement from the Mozambican Presidency, the joint commission meeting, taking place today in Maputo, will strengthen relations between the two countries, "consolidated throughout their shared history of struggle against colonialism and apartheid".
On Wednesday, the two heads of state will participate in the inauguration of the domestic gas factory, the first in Mozambique, in the province of Inhambane, according to the statement, in addition to holding a business forum in the province of Inhambane, in the south of the country.
According to a source in the Mozambican executive, the South African President's participation in the inauguration of the domestic gas processing and production unit comes in response to an invitation from his counterpart, Daniel Chapo. The investment, implemented by South African oil company Sasol, will enable Mozambique to cut imports of this product by more than 70%.
"Presidents Daniel Chapo and Cyril Ramaphosa will travel to the city of Vilankulo, in the province of Inhambane, where they will also chair the Mozambique-South Africa Business Forum, a space geared towards promoting investment, increasing bilateral trade and identifying new opportunities for economic cooperation," said the Mozambican Presidency.
The South African head of state's participation is a result of the project to build a new Integrated Processing Plant by Sasol, following the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) between Mozambique and the oil company, the source added.
Sasol's US$1 billion (€866 million) project is aimed at producing cooking gas in Mozambique, given that it already exploits gas production in the country in Temane (Inhassoro) and Pande (Govuro), in Inhambane.
Relations between South Africa and Mozambique are regulated through the Binational Commission, co-chaired by the heads of state of the two neighbouring countries, which met for the first time on 22 October 2015 in South Africa.
Mozambique is South Africa's largest trading partner, generating an annual turnover of around US$2 billion (€1.728 billion).
More than 1,700 heavy goods vehicles cross the border every day, mainly carrying South African exports, which are shipped through the port of Maputo, according to official data.
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