Standard Bank on the 2nd International Conference on Coal

was one of the main speakers of the Second International Conference on Coal Mining, held in Maputo, between the fifth and sixth of July, attended by over 300 investors, producers, suppliers of coal and members of the Mozambican government.

The improvement of road, rail and port infrastructure for the outlet of coal as a fundamental factor to ensure that the Moatize Coal mine project in Tete province offers the maximum benefit to the Mozambican economy, was one of the main points presented by Rajat Kholi, with over 20 years’ experience in the Metals & Mining sector.

During his presentation on the topic “Development of the Moatize Mines and Funding Implications,” Rajat Kholi sustained the need to “find a solution to the financing of infrastructure, which requires a global approach to decide on the best export route and on the best development option, both with the involvement of the private sector and the government”.

Rajat Kholi emphasized that Standard Bank can play an important role in this process because it is a sector that the Bank completely dominates: “Depending on the business proposal, the Bank is prepared to offer financial advisory and services that are internationally recognized”.

In addition, he said he believed that the mining industry would be one of the key sectors for the economy of Mozambique, hence the importance of the involvement of the national economic agents, to facilitate the development of the project.

The national interests of the Moatize Coal project - as he added - can be represented by a ministry, a rail-port agency or a development bank, because these play an important role in making viable investments.

Recent studies indicate that Mozambique may have reserves exceeding 23 billion tons of mineral coal and exploration as from this year will make the country the largest coal exporter in Africa.