Mozambican government has said that in the first half of 2006, the country's GDP growth reached 10 percent, making it likely that the yearly forecast of 7.3 percent be beaten.

According to Mozambique News Agency on Thursday, the country's finance ministry spokesman, Amelia Usta, said on Wednesday "the economy grew at 10 percent in the first semester of the year," when asked to confirm media reports.

However, good rains helped agriculture expand by 9.7 percent, and the abolition of visa requirements with neighboring South Africa saw transport and communications increase by 25.5 percent. State projects pushed construction up by 17.5 percent.

The economy had grown by 7.5 percent in 2005, mainly because of significant construction and manufacturing growth. Growth for the first half of 2005 was 7.3 percent.

Source: Xinhua