Embassy of the United States Maputo, Mozambique

Exporting to Mozambique

President Obama announced the National Export Initiative (NEI) in March 2010, with the goal of doubling exports by 2014.  Bilateral trade between the United States and Mozambique grew by 68 percent in 2011 to nearly $487.9 million according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative.  U.S. embassies are committed to supporting U.S. companies to start exporting or grow their exports to Mozambique. 

Mozambique’s economy, benefiting from macroeconomic reforms and large foreign investment projects, grew an average of 8% per year during 1994-2009 – one of the best growth records for any non-petroleum economy in sub-Saharan Africa over this period.  Foreign direct investment, exports and revenue collection all increased markedly during this time.  Mozambique had a real growth rate in 2010 of 6.8%, with a projected 7.2% real growth rate in 2011 according to the IMF.  The 12-month inflation rate decreased to 7.8% at the end of September 2011. 

In this section, you’ll find a quick description of Mozambique as an export market and some suggestions for getting started.

Getting Started

1. Visit the export.gov page on Mozambique to get an overview of economic conditions and opportunities.  Access the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service’s Market Research Library containing more than 100,000 industry and country-specific market reports, authored by our specialists working in overseas posts. 

The Library Includes: 

• Country Commercial Guides (read latest “Doing Business In” guides)

• Industry Overviews

• Market Updates

• Multilateral Development Bank Reports

• Best Markets

• Industry/Regional Reports

Contact your local U.S. Export Assistance Center for advice and support
on exporting to Mozambique. Contact a Trade Specialist Near You (http://export.gov/eac/index.asp)

Contact your local Small Business Development Center (SBDCs).  Starting a business can be a challenge, but there is help for you in your area.

Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) are partnerships primarily between the government and colleges/universities administered by the Small Business Administration and aims at giving educational services for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. 
 
Potential investors: Getting Started.

If you are considering investment in Mozambique, here are some steps you may wish to consider as you get started:

• Register with the U.S. Embassy – If you are planning a visit to consider investment, let us know by sending an email.

• The Center for Investment Promotion is a key important step for potential investors in Mozambique. 

• The local Mozambique-U.S. Chamber of Commerce (CCMUSA) is a great resource for companies looking to enter or expand into the Mozambican market.  Visit their website for more information. 

• The Mozambican Confederation of Business Associations (CTA) is network of several key business and trade organizations that represents the interests of key parts of the private sector.

• The Commercial and Industrial Association of Sofala (ACIS) is a 300-member strong business organization representing many foreign companies conducting business in Mozambique.

• Subscribe to our embassy Facebook page  or Twitter feed.

Current investors: Staying Connected.

If you are a current U.S. investor in Mozambique, the U.S Embassy wants to stay in touch. Here are a few steps you can take to keep the channels of communication open:

• Register with the U.S. Embassy – If you are active in Mozambique, let us know by sending an email.

• Become a member of the local Amcham (CCMUSA), which is a great resource for networking with other companies operating in Mozambique.

• Add us to your mailing lists – we are always happy to stay informed

• Subscribe to our embassy Facebook page or Twitter feed

• Set up a meeting with our economic or commercial team to discuss any issues that arise.  We would be happy to meet you!
 
Working in Mozambique

In this section you will find information on business visas, travel advisories, and anti-corruption tools.

Business Visas

For information on obtaining a visa to visit Mozambique, visit the website of the Consular Section of the Mozambique Embassy in the United States.
 
Travel Advisories

Make sure to check the current State Department travel advisory for Mozambique.

FCPA

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is an important anti-corruption tool designed to discourage corrupt business practices in favor of free and fair markets.  The FCPA prohibits promising, offering, giving or authorizing giving anything of value to a foreign government official where the purpose is to obtain or retain business.  These prohibitions apply to U.S. persons, both individuals and companies, and companies that are listed on U.S. exchanges. The statute also requires companies publicly traded in the U.S. to keep accurate books and records and implement appropriate internal controls.
  
More information on the FCPA can be found here: 

A party to a transaction seeking to know whether a proposed course of conduct would violate the FCPA can take advantage of the opinion procedure established by the statue.  Within 30 days of receiving a description of a proposed course of conduct in writing, the Attorney General will provide the party with a written opinion on whether the proposed conduct would violate the FCPA.  Not only do opinions provide the requesting party with a rebuttable presumption that the conduct does not violate the FCPA, but DOJ publishes past opinions which can provide guidance for other companies facing similar situations.

More information on the DOJ opinion procedure can be found here:

QUICK LINKS

• Export.gov
• Local Legal Resources
• Business Matchmaking Services
• Business Visa Facilitation Program