Maputo, May 6, 2026 (Lusa) – Mozambique's President, Daniel Chapo said on Wednesday that the nation would not "resign itself" to being merely an exporter of raw materials, demanding local processing, stating that it is time for "action" and to "talking less, working more."
"The development of our resources must translate into concrete benefits for our people. This implies ensuring environmentally sustainable and responsible practices, respecting international and national environmental standards, and promoting socio-economic development alongside a more equitable distribution of the benefits resulting from the wealth of these resources," he said.
Speaking at the opening of the 12th Mozambique Mining and Energy Conference and Exhibition in Maputo, he acknowledged that the "challenge" facing the country, a major mining, energy, and gas producer, is "unequivocal". It involves "transforming commitments into decisions, decisions into investments, and investments into concrete results."
"This is the time for action. Talk less, work more. Mozambique is ready. Ready to invest, ready to cooperate, ready to lead, in partnership with its allies, a new phase of development based on structural transformation and the diversification of our economy. Therefore, we are investing in mineral resources, hydrocarbons, and energy sectors as the basis for diversifying our economy," he stated.
Lusa reported this week that the Mozambique state will now take a minimum 15% stake in mining ventures, according to a revision of the Mining Law. The new legislation will prohibit the sale of unprocessed mineral products within the country and establish specific areas for artisanal mining.
The proposed revisions, which parliament will discuss on Thursday, aim to address "gaps that require strengthening of state sovereignty over mineral resources" after ten years of the current law. The government acknowledged in its justification that it needs the "capacity to fully capture revenues" from such exploration.
Chapo said that the two-day annual conference will debate the transformation of the sector's potential into "real economic and social value". He highlighted the "acceleration of major energy projects and their link to industrialisation," the "sustainable recovery" of mineral resources with greater local involvement, and the expansion of energy access "as a basis for productive development."
"What is at stake here is a paradigm shift. We are definitively moving away from a logic of resource exploitation to enter a logic of economic and social transformation for all Mozambicans. A logic in which every tonne extracted, every molecule of gas produced, and every megawatt generated translates into industry, jobs for our youth and women, knowledge, and prosperity for our people," he said.
"It is our expectation that throughout this conference we can emerge not just with ideas, but with commitments, strengthened and signed partnerships, and a shared vision of the way forward," he said.
Chapo stated that the current "vision is unequivocal and leaves no room for ambiguities". "Mozambique will not resign itself to being merely an exporter of raw materials. We are firmly committed to transforming our natural resources into a foundation for industrialisation, economic diversification and shared prosperity for all Mozambicans, together with our partners here today," he said.
He stated that the "true value" of Mozambique's resources "does not lie" in what is extracted, but in what the country manages to "build from them", noting that the revision of "structural laws" regarding Mining, Petroleum, and Local Content is currently underway.
"And we have approved decisive instruments in the energy sector to ensure that the country's resources generate more benefits for Mozambicans, support industrialisation, expand energy access across the entire nation, and guarantee legal predictability, transparency, regulatory stability, and, above all, the predictability and investment security for those who come to invest in Mozambique," he said.
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