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Mozambique-South Africa Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023

Complete trade statistics: $7.19B total volume •Mozambique deficit: $5.10B

MozambiqueSouth Africa

$1.04B

Exports (2023)

South AfricaMozambique

$6.14B

Imports (2023)

Trade Balance

$5.10B

Deficit for Mozambique

Total Trade

$7.19B

Combined Volume

Trade Flow Visualization

Direct trade relationship between Mozambique and South Africa. Green line shows exports from Mozambique, red line shows imports.

Detailed Product Trade Analysis

Comprehensive breakdown of trade flows by product category, revealing the specialized nature of the Mozambique-South Africa commercial relationship and competitive positioning in global markets.

MozambiqueSouth Africa Exports

$1.04B
2023 Total

Export Market Intelligence

Product Diversity:
Specialized Focus
Market Share:
39.1% top product
1Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas
$407.50M
39.1% of exports
2Electrical energy
$340.45M
32.7% of exports
3Wigs, false beards, eyebrows and eyelashes, switches and the like and other articles n.e.c.: of animal hair or of textile materials other than synthetic
$44.00M
4.2% of exports
4Coal: bituminous, whether or not pulverised, but not agglomerated
$36.54M
3.5% of exports
5Fruit, edible: bananas, other than plantains, fresh or dried
$29.17M
2.8% of exports

🎯 Strategic Export Focus

Mozambique's export portfolio to South Africa demonstrates strategic specialization, with petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.

South AfricaMozambique Imports

$6.14B
2023 Total

Import Dependency Profile

Supply Diversity:
Concentrated
Critical Imports:
26.6% concentration
1Chromium ores and concentrates
$1.63B
26.6% of imports
2Ferro-alloys: ferro-chromium, containing by weight more than 4% of carbon
$1.05B
17.1% of imports
3Iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated
$522.52M
8.5% of imports
4Coal: bituminous, whether or not pulverised, but not agglomerated
$357.43M
5.8% of imports
5Electrical energy
$284.66M
4.6% of imports

📦 Import Strategy Analysis

Mozambique's import pattern from South Africa reveals significant dependencyin chromium ores and concentrates, highlighting complementary economic structures and potential supply chain optimization opportunities.

Competitive Trade Position Analysis

🏆

Market Leadership

Mozambique demonstrates competitive strength in exportingpetroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas to South Africa, leveraging comparative advantages.

Export Leader in 5+ Categories
🔄

Trade Complementarity

The bilateral relationship showsmoderatecomplementarity, with each country specializing in different sectors.

Specialized Exchange
📈

Growth Potential

The $7.19B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.

Significant Partnership

Executive Summary: Mozambique-South Africa Trade Relationship

Key Trade Highlights 2023

  • Total Trade Volume: $7.19 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
  • Trade Balance: Mozambique maintains a deficit of $5.10 billion
  • Export Focus: Mozambique's primary exports include petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas, electrical energy, wigs, false beards, eyebrows and eyelashes, switches and the like and other articles n.e.c.: of animal hair or of textile materials other than synthetic
  • Import Dependencies: Key imports from South Africa include chromium ores and concentrates, ferro-alloys: ferro-chromium, containing by weight more than 4% of carbon, iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated

Strategic Trade Indicators

Trade IntensityHigh
Export DiversificationConcentrated
Trade Balance HealthImbalanced

📈 Market Position: This bilateral trade relationship represents an important regional trade partnerships, with complementary economic strengths driving sustained commercial exchange.

Historical Trade Analysis & Economic Context

Trade Evolution Timeline

2019-2023: Recent Trends

Current trade volume of $7.19B represents the culmination of evolving bilateral commercial relationships, influenced by global supply chain shifts and changing economic priorities.

2015-2019: Growth Period

Sustained expansion in bilateral trade driven by complementary economic structures, with Mozambique leveraging its comparative advantages in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas.

2010-2015: Foundation Building

Establishment of modern trade frameworks and reduction of barriers, facilitating increased commercial exchange and investment flows between the two economies.

Pre-2010: Early Development

Initial stages of bilateral trade relationship development, with focus on traditional export-import patterns and gradual market integration.

Key Economic Drivers

1

Comparative Advantage

Mozambique's specialization in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gascomplements South Africa's demand patterns, creating natural trade synergies.

2

Supply Chain Integration

Deep integration in global value chains has strengthened bilateral linkages, particularly in chromium ores and concentrates.

3

Market Access & Trade Policy

Favorable trade agreements and market access conditions have facilitated the growth of this $7.19B bilateral relationship.

Trade Pattern Insights

Trade ComplementarityAsymmetric
Seasonal VariationsModerate
Product ConcentrationMedium
Market DependencyHigh
🔮

Trade Relationship Outlook

The $7.19B bilateral trade volume positions this relationship for continued growth, supported by technological advancement, evolving consumer preferences, and strengthening economic ties. Key opportunities lie in expanding cooperation in emerging sectors while managing potential supply chain vulnerabilities.

Economic Impact & Strategic Outlook

Economic Impact Assessment

💰

Trade Volume Impact

The $7.19 billion bilateral trade volume represents a important trade relationshipfor both economies.

Economic Significance: Moderate
🏭

Industrial Integration

Trade flows in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas and chromium ores and concentrates demonstrate deep industrial linkages and supply chain integration.

Supply Chain Integration: Specialized
⚖️

Trade Balance Effects

Mozambique's trade deficit of $5.10 billion impacts its overall economic position in this bilateral relationship.

Balance Impact: Import Dependency

Strategic Future Outlook

🚀Growth Opportunities

Emerging Sectors
Technology transfer and innovation cooperation in electrical energy present expansion opportunities.
Market Diversification
Beyond current focus on chromium ores and concentrates, new product categories offer potential for trade expansion.

⚠️Risk Factors

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
High trade imbalance may create supply chain risks
Market Competition
Global competition in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas may affect future market positioning.

🎯Strategic Recommendations

  • Strengthen cooperation in high-value sectors beyond current trade patterns
  • Develop alternative supply chains to reduce dependency risks
  • Explore joint ventures in emerging technology sectors
  • Enhance trade facilitation and reduce transaction costs

Market Position & Competitive Summary

The bilateral trade relationship between Mozambique and South Africa represents a total trade volume of $7.19 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates an unfavorable trade balance for Mozambique, with imports exceeding exportsby $5.10 billion.

Export Strengths

Mozambique's exports to South Africa total $1.04 billion, with competitive advantages in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas, representing $407.50M or39.1% of bilateral exports.

Import Dependencies

Imports from South Africa amount to $6.14 billion, highlighting economic interdependence in chromium ores and concentrates, with Chromium ores and concentrates comprising26.6% of total imports.

The trade relationship reflects broader economic patterns and comparative advantages. The trade deficit indicates Mozambique's strategic sourcing from South Africa. This partnership is characterized by complementary trade flows, with each country specializing in different product categories based on their respective economic strengths, industrial capabilities, and position in global value chains.

Download Bilateral Trade Data

Access detailed trade data between Mozambique and South Africa in multiple formats.

Data Source: CEPII BACI (Base pour l'Analyse du Commerce International) • Last Updated: January 2025 • Coverage: 1995-2023