Mozambique government open to transferring Mozal infrastructure to new operator – reports

“First, we would have preferred for Mozal to have continued operating normally. Since that is not possible, it would be reasonable, in our view, for other operators to step in, replace Mozal, restore normal operations at the facility, and naturally increase production, employment, and contribution to the national economy. That would be the best outcome,” he asserted.

According to Impissa, it would be the intention of any government to maintain the Mozal plant in operation, and that is certainly what will have to be done, as he emphasised. “It should be the intention of a government, such as the one we have in Mozambique, that this infrastructure does not remain idle. For that reason, we will need to approach the owner of Mozal, who will have to show interest in, for example, transferring the operation, the company, shares, or other forms… to a company like this.

However, this should depend heavily on the companies themselves,” he said. Speaking to journalists, Impissa denied assumptions that a new operator has already been designated for Mozal. He believes that the owners of Mozal will inform the Government of their plans regarding the infrastructure.

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“It is a mega-infrastructure. And, based on the information provided to the Government, it [the Government] may issue either a suggestion, an opinion, or a position regarding the future that is intended for Mozal,” he stated. “It would always be good to have Mozal, or another large industry like Mozal, of equal or greater size.

Nonetheless, that Mozal, the one which has lately been winding down its activities… It would have been gladly and favourably received by the Government that it [that Mozal] had continued to operate,” said Impissa. The spokesperson further assured that the Government has no information regarding new operators who could run what is the country’s largest industrial unit, in light of the suspension of activity decided by the Australian company South32, which manages Mozal. However, he stressed that the goal is that “the infrastructure does not remain idle,” guaranteeing that the Government, in sectoral terms, can support this process of negotiation with new investors for the industrial unit.

“For that reason, we will first have to approach the entity itself, the company itself, the owner of Mozal, who will have to show interest in, for example, transferring either the operation, or the company, shares, and other forms, taking into account the different ways of transferring responsibilities or ownership over to a company like this. Impissa added that even if the current brand ceases to exist, the industrial infrastructure could continue to be used. “The infrastructure remains, but the name may not. In the future, there may be a new industry there, and that would be good,” stated Impissa.

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