Mozambique’s government announced on Tuesday that it will impose temporary quantitative limits on imports of products including bottled mineral water, pasta, flour, salt, Portland cement, and tiles, aiming to conserve foreign currency and promote national industry.
The decree, approved during the weekly Council of Ministers session in Maputo, seeks to prioritise foreign currency for essential goods and services while making domestic production more competitive. Council spokesperson Inocêncio Impissa said the restrictions also aim to encourage local manufacturing, safeguard macroeconomic stability, and reduce reliance on non-essential imports.
While details on the duration, specific quantities, and implementation date were not provided, the measure is designed to stimulate the domestic productive base, promote import substitution, and increase consumption of locally made products, in line with multilateral trade obligations emphasizing proportionality, temporality, and non-discrimination.