[2020-03-04] Mozambique and South Africa want to intensify energy cooperation

Source: Macauhub

The governments of Mozambique and South Africa plan to explore ways to boost cooperation in the energy sector, seeking to overcome the shortage of energy in Africa, said on Tuesday in Maputo the national director for energy of Mozambique.

Pascoal Bacela said that Maputo and Pretoria had restated the need to intensify cooperation in the energy sector, during a closed meeting held last week in Maputo, between the ministers of Mineral Resources and Energy of Mozambique, Max Tonela, and his South African counterpart, Gwede Mantashe.

“There has been a convergence of positions between the two governments in order to promote cooperation in the energy sector,” Bacela told Portuguese news agency Lusa.

Bacela pointed out that South Africa, one of the largest economies on the continent faces an energy deficit that Mozambique can help to overcome, with the implementation of the various power production projects it has in the pipeline.

“Mozambique has plans to increase its energy availability, taking into account the internal market and the Southern Africa market,” said Bacela.

The National Director of Energy said that Max Tonela and Gwede Mantashe had not provided about the next steps in cooperation in the energy sector.

Mozambique is a major supplier of electricity to South Africa, through the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric dam (HCB), one of the largest dams in the world.