Beluluane Industrial Park (BIP) in collaboration with the Mozambique Tax Authority (AT) and Capital Star Steel, inaugurated the Customs facilities based at BIP to accommodate the needs of the companies in the park.
In his inauguration speech, the Deputy Director General of Customs, Inocêncio Mota said that, “The handing over of the keys and the respective inauguration reflect the commitment and selflessness that our partners have for great causes, specifically those that directly benefit the State, with a view to creating infrastructural conditions for better convenience for Customs.”
The Deputy Director General, added that the opening of a Customs office in a province with the largest industrial park in the country is an enormous pride. This infrastructure will be dedicated to the processing of documentation coming from companies operating in the Beluluane Industrial Park, and will ease the flow of processing dispatches.
Onório Boane, General Manager of the Beluluane Industrial Park mentioned that “The role of Customs is essential in improving the business environment for companies based in the Beluluane Industrial Park. We thank the Tax Authority for establishing its services in the Park and believe this will be an extremely beneficial step and will contribute to the productivity of the companies based here.”
“The inauguration represents an important step towards providing better services to investors looking to set up in Beluluane Industrial Park as well as those already established [in the park],” added Onório Boane.
Representing the companies of the Beluluane Industrial Park, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Capital Star Steel, David Scheepers, expressed his satisfaction with this act “We are happy with the presence of Customs closer to our companies, and this is an extremely important step for our activities, without a doubt it will have a positive impact [on activities]”.
The inauguration of the Customs office in the Beluluane Industrial Park was followed by a workshop held by the Tax Authority for the companies based in the Beluluane Industrial Park to reflect on the Ministerial Diploma 202/2010 of 24 November among other normative documents that regulate the Tax and Customs Regime of the Special Economic Zones and the Industrial Free Zones. The Tax Authority liaised with various stakeholders with the objective of improving the relationship between the parties and making the processes more flexible, including the entry and exit of goods in what is the largest and oldest Industrial Free Trade Zone in the country.
Beluluane Industrial Park (BIP) and Mozal joined in global festivities on World Environmental Day when it hosted a tree-planting ceremony to celebrate the creation of an Eco Park within the park’s green belt zone. This dedicated conservation zone sits on the perimeter of the industrial park, bordering the Matola River and is home to more than 80 different bird species as well as a number of other herbivores and carnivores. Amongst its wildlife are two species of water birds that are officially listed as near-threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Beluluane Industrial Park and Mozal have made a commitment to establish the ecological park in partnership with the Government of Maputo Province in order to offset and minimise the impacts that may arise from its industrial activities. These developments will support the preservation of green space which is vital for creating sustainable cities and industrial zones.
General Manager of Beluluane Industrial Park Onório Manuel commented: “As an industrial park, we are serious about investing in sustainable development. We are aware of the effects of the building boom on the outskirts of Maputo and in Matola. These activities are hardly regulated and many green zones are invaded in a non-sustainable way.”
Manuel emphasised the fact that rapid urbanisation of this area pose a substantial threat and rapid loss of wildlife and native vegetation. “Such green havens need to be conserved at all cost in order to create the sustainable cities of the future and to buffer the impacts of climate change for the wider Maputo Bay area.”
The event was attended by the Governor of Maputo Province Júlio Paruque, Boane Administrator Teresa Mauaie, Director of Development Land and Environment Aida Sulemane and other distinguished guests. As a symbolic gesture, the Governor planted an indigenous White Mangrove (mangal) tree. The tree is commonly found in Mozambique as it grows on the inland side of tropical and subtropical coastal swamps, along the east coast of Africa – from East London (South Africa) to Sudan. It is already threatened by over-exploitation in other parts of the world such as Arabia and India. The mangal tree forms part of a sensitive ecological system and is useful in stabilising banks of salt water estuaries.
Commenting on the economic impact of this project, Governor Júlio Paruque said: “It is important that the industrial park will associate as an ecological park. By preserving its ecological potential, the park will support ecotourism and offer new sources of employment”.
BIP Chairman Adrian Frey agreed: “We are coming closer to making this big dream come true. The ecological zone will protect and celebrate birds, trees and rivers that give us life. Together with the provincial government we want to create jobs but at the same time protect nature.”
Beluluane Industrial Park’s mission is to boost industrial production and contribute to socio-economic growth by means of creating jobs, especially for young Mozambicans. “The Eco Park will offer another unique opportunity to continue improving lives. We are committed to the project since we know it will preserve the land and livelinhoods of our local district for generations to come,” Frey concluded.
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