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5 December 2008

The Premier of Mpumalanga, the Honourable Thabang Makwetla, will launch one of the province's its 'big five' flagship projects, the Maputo Development Corridor, on Tuesday, 9 December 2008, in Nelspruit. Regarded as one of the largest spatial investment initiatives in the Southern Africa region, the corridor links the Maputo harbour through a road to Mpumalanga and Gauteng.

The flagship is a new provincial initiative announced in February 2008 , during the Premier's State of the Province Address , and aims to enhance the economic potential of the of the Maputo Corridor and unlock its potential to make a lasting impact in support other government efforts to grow the regional economy.

The provincial government has recently commissioned an economic scoping study on behalf of all the municipalities situated along the N4 corridor in order to unlock the economic competitive edges of each municipality, taking advantage of the available funds and specialist project management unit established to fastrack projects and investment.

The launch is taking place just weeks after the Mpumalanga province renewed and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maputo City province and the Maputo province as part of efforts to maximise investment opportunities along the corridor, and to increase South Africa's economic cooperation within the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Among other sub-projects of the Maputo Development Corridor Flagship, to be unveiled, are a food technology centre, Tourism info centre at the Lebombo border, truck stops and rest areas along the N4, English-Portuguese Language Institute, Freight and Logistics Call Centre, and new financing model for community based projects along the corridor.

The flagship was given a major boost, when the provincial government during its mid term budget review in November 2008, allocated an additional R52 million for the remainder of the 2008/09 financial yea

The function will be held on the 9 December 2008, at Emnotweni Arena in Nelspruit, and will be preceded by a second round of technical co-operation meeting of senior officials from Maputo province and Mpumalanga, aimed at finalising the details and implementation plan of the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding.

The 'big five' flagships were adopted by the provincial cabinet in September 2006 and announced by the Premier when he delivered the 2007 State of the Province address. The flagships include the Maputo and Moloto Development Corridors, Water for All, Accelerated Capacity Building, Heritage-Greening Mpumalanga and Tourism.

Programme of events

Launch of the Maputo Development Corridor Flagship Launch Emnotweni Arena, Riverside, Nelspruit, 9 December 2008

09h00 to 09h30: Courtesy visit MECs and Premier, protocol and courtesy visit 10h00 to 12h00: Participation in stakeholder forum/bilateral discussion, bilateral meeting with Mpumalanga and Mozambique Counter parts
12h00to 14h00: Participation in media briefing, background media briefing organised by Office of the Premier and global interface

14h00 to 16h00:

Technical committee meeting and consultations
* political message by director general
* review of memorandum of understanding and draft work programme
* way forward
* review of areas of co-operation

Agree on a broad framework for implementation projects and targets programme
10h00 to 12h00:
Political Message Head of Department
1. Presentation on Maputo Corridor Flagship
2. Presentation on MCLI
3. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)/ Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), Strategic Defense Initiative's (SDI's) Governance Options

* summary of options on institutional mechanisms
* stakeholder responses and discussion
* way forward and closure establish the basis of a Mulstistakeholder forum and co-operative Governance for the Maputo Corridor
* fifty delegates (from government, labour, industry, community constituency, others, traditional leaders, border co-ordination)

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
8 December 2008