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The Polytechnic University hosted on July 23 and 24 the first edition of the Mozambique Renaissance Conference, an initiative by clergy, companies, investors, governments and economic institutions that aims to build links between the African continent and the diaspora in order to contribute to the training of companies owned by citizens living abroad and to the economic growth of their countries of origin.
The event, whose slogan is “Resurgence 2024: The Year of Return”, also aims to provide a platform for ongoing dialogue between the Mozambican diaspora and native businessmen, to offer local economic actors the tools to develop and expand their companies, to position themselves in competition at national and global levels in search of financing partnerships, loans, subsidies and mentoring, and to showcase products of Mozambican origin on the international market.
The organization therefore hopes to contribute to increasing the volume of investments made by the diaspora in the country, adopting innovative business methods, increasing financing or partnerships, improving investor satisfaction, etc. In her opening speech, the President of the Association of Mozambican Communities in the United States of America, Glória Sumbana, recognized the importance of the Mozambican diaspora and its achievements in the country. However, she admitted that much more needs to be done and therefore the need to “go further”.
“As long as we are not proud of this Mother Africa, it will not develop. We have to be proud of ourselves. We want to be the diaspora that President Barack Obama defined when he said that everyone with African ancestry should start looking at Africa as a business destination, a vacation destination, a leisure destination and be proud of our continent.”
On the occasion, the Vice-Rector of the Polytechnic University, Cristiano Macuamule, considered that “this event celebrates the strength, innovation and solidarity of the African diaspora, especially in Mozambique”, which, he believes, will contribute to the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, which form the backbone of the national economy.
“The theme of this conference could not be more appropriate. Now is the time to embrace our heritage while seizing new opportunities for growth and innovation. It is about finding strength in our shared experience and using it to build sustainable and inclusive prosperity,” he stressed.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation’s Permanent Secretary, Francisco Novela, said that the Mozambican diaspora is one of the government’s priorities and that the government wants them to actively participate in the country’s development process. It is in this context that actions are being taken with a view to adopting a national diaspora policy, the process of which has reached an advanced stage.
“Our expectations for this conference are huge. We are confident that it will lead to concrete actions that will help to establish the necessary partnerships to build the bridges we want to create between the African diaspora and their countries of origin, including Mozambique, to achieve our common development goals, with a special focus on businesses involving the small and medium-sized enterprise sector”, he concluded.
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