The third edition of the Nampula Gem Fair (Fagena), attended by exhibitors, traders and authorities, is a way to discourage the illegal marketing of precious and non-precious minerals in Mozambique, said the provincial director of Mineral Resources and Energy.

“The city of Nampula is Mozambique’s largest minerals trading centre and therefore we decided to create a space for people to buy and sell minerals and pay taxes owed to the state, which has not usually happened,” said Olavo Denisasse, saying that this was the purpose “that led us to set up this fair in 2016.”

The provincial director told Mozambican news agency AIM that this type of event is being held at local, district and provincial level and reaffirmed that the fairs add security to the transactions.

Candido Rangeiro, from the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, told the opening session of the fair that holding of precious stones fairs could be a way to encourage informal operators in the sector to become legal.

“Fagena aims to create a national benchmark space and for internationalisation of the precious stones produced in Mozambique,” concluded Rangeiro. (source: Macauhub)