The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Chinese firm West International Holding (WIH) have signed a memorandum regarding $800 million of investment intentions by that company in the country, the government announced in a statement.

The document signed on Thursday "aims at the implantation of cement and clinker industries, electric energy production, and ecological glass products" in a total of five projects.

The memorandum foresees that they will be executed "in phases and in lots", with the best practices and equipment, with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce "providing support to WIH in terms of granting land for the implementation of the projects" and "identifying the areas for the exploration of mineral resources, in articulation with the supervising ministries".

WIH's 'portfolio' already includes the Dugongo Cement factory inaugurated in May, south of Maputo, as an investment of 330 million dollars with a production capacity of 5000 tons per day.

The government believes that the new memorandum represents an opportunity to create up to 5,000 jobs in Mozambique.

One of the investments foresees the production of 5,000 tons of clinker per day, integrated in an energy production project (thermal source with 2×50 MW capacity), while another points to a cement grinding plant with an annual installed capacity of 900,000 tons.

The intentions also include a glassworks for the production of glass for civil construction, with a daily installed capacity of 600 tons, and another project for the annual production of 45,000 tons of handcrafted glass.

Lusa Agency