The Secretary of State for Sofala Province, Cecília Chamutota, led the signing ceremony for the subsidy agreements for the financing of projects under the second edition of the Catalytic Fund for Innovation and Demonstration (FCID) in the city of Beira today.
The second edition of the CFID is part of the Southern Africa Connectivity Trade Project (SACTP), funded by the World Bank. It is implemented under the coordination of the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Zambezi Agency with the aim of stimulating private sector activity along specific corridors in Mozambique and Malawi, reducing trade costs and time, increasing the development of value chains and improving access to infrastructure.
At today’s ceremony, a total of 11 contracts were signed for the financing of the same number of companies operating in the Zambezi Valley Region and the Nacala Corridor, for an estimated value of 8 million US dollars.
Speaking at the event, the Secretary of State for Sofala Province considered the FCID to be another contribution by the government to creating a basis for supporting the national private sector and integrating small producers into the value chain.
“The actions carried out through this platform boost economic growth and productivity, as well as job creation, based on the assumption that growth, the creation of wealth and the reduction of inequalities are the basis for economic and social development, with the private sector as an essential sector for this goal,” said Cecília Chamutota.
Chamutota expressed the (government’s) expectation that, in this Second Edition, it will be possible to “increase production and productivity levels; increase and improve access to preferential markets, especially for agricultural and fishing products; take greater advantage of the areas where the projects are located by strengthening micro-enterprises in rural areas”.
The ceremony to sign the subsidy agreements was attended by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Director General of the Zambezi Agency, the PCCA, representatives of the private sector, representatives of the beneficiaries of the subsidies from the provinces of Sofala, Manica, Tete, Zambezia and Niassa.