The governments of Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe signed three agreements yesterday, Friday (12), in Techobanine, Matutuíne district, Maputo province, to enable the construction of the Techobanine deep-water port.

These include a letter of request for funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB), an agreement for the transportation of goods between the three countries and an agreement for the construction of the port of Techobanine itself.

Speaking minutes after signing the instruments with his Tswana counterpart, Eric Molale, and Zimbabwean counterpart, Felix Mhona, during the tripartite summit between Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe, the Mozambican minister for transport and communications, Mateus Magala, said that before the infrastructure is built there will be a feasibility study that could cost just over three million dollars.

"The African Development Bank is going to carry out a feasibility study which we estimate will cost between three and four million dollars, in the form of a donation. Once the study is done, the value of the project will be determined and the possible sources of funding," said Mateus Magala, quoted by AIM, adding that some funds will come from the AfDB, others from the government, the private sector and other financial institutions.

Mateus Magala also said that, informally, the ADB has already expressed an interest in carrying out the study, but the process has yet to be formalized. He pointed out that the port will be located in an area outside Maputo Park, adjacent to the park. In this sense, "an environmental study has already been carried out and it has been concluded that respect for humanity and biodiversity are safeguarded in this location".

The Techobanine port could cover an area of more than 10 square kilometers and have the capacity to transport three million tons of fuel and 16 million tons of coal and other minerals.

(Photo DR)