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Southern African Companies Address Environment Issues in Maputo

Posted on: Tuesday, 20 September 2005, 09:00 CDT

Southern African companies address environment issues in Maputo

MAPUTO, Sept.19 (Xinhua) -- A regional seminar on environmental management systems began here Monday, providing platform for representatives from small and medium companies in southern Africa to exchange experience in the field.

The meeting, scheduled to last for five days, will look at general environmental topics, as well as the specific issues of textiles, agro-industries, mining and tourism.

At the opening of the meeting, Mozambique's National Director of Environmental Management in the Environment Ministry, Policarpo Napica attacked those businesses which want to obtain "fabulous profits," regardless of environmental damage, saying they are compromising the survival of future generations.

Napica cited the case of the Portuguese-owned cement factory " Cimentos de Mozambique" in the Mozambican southern city of Matola, saying this factory is polluting the atmosphere, and endangering public health.

He added that some companies dump waste in Maputo and trees are being indiscriminately cut down without adequate replanting.

The Mozambican government wants to stop these abuses, he stressed, and the country's existing environmental legislation, such as the Environmental Impact Assessment regulations, should be respected before would-be investors started implementing their projects in Mozambique.

According to a Monday report by local media, the Portuguese- owned cement factory in Matola city was the target of an environmental protest demonstration on Saturday.

About 400 people took to the city streets to demand the end of pollution by local companies, particularly the "Cimentos de Mozambique."

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

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