These were the words of MOZAL general manger, Carlos Mesquita, speaking in Maputo on Monday during an interview with the newssheet 'mediaFax'.
BHP Billiton (47%), Mitsubishi Corp (25%), the Industrial Development Corp of South Africa (24%) and the Government of Mozambique (4%) own Mozal alluminnium smelter, the country's largest foreign investment project to date.
"The shareholders are still interested with the expansion project, but the ball is on the government side, which is yet to create a favourable environment to supply of electricity for the project. It all comes down to electrical power", said Mesquita.
Asked to comment on the prize of the top Mozambican exporter in 2006, awarded to MOZAL at the current 43rd edition of the Maputo International Trade Fair (FACIM), Mesquita expressed his satisfaction saying that it is a reward of hard work.
In the next few years, MOZAL is expected to face fierce competition in terms of the weight of its exports on Mozambique's economy with other multinationals such as the Brazilian giant Companhia do Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD) that will soon start its operations at the Moatize coal mines in the central province of Tete and the Brazilian oil company PETROBRAS that is cited by the international press as interested to establish in Mozambique.
Meanwhile, citing reliable sources 'MediaFax', claims that Mesquita is just about to return to South America and he is expected to be replaced by a South African national who will take over the position of MOZAL general manager.
SOURCE: AIM
