APM urges UK investors to transform Malawi

President Peter Mutharika has implored visiting prospective investors from the United Kingdom (UK) to establish enterprises which will promote exports and offer quality local products which will curb the nation’s appetite for imports.

Speaking at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe yesterday when he received a high-powered delegation of the prospective investors, Mutharika invited the visitors to join him in his “very ambitious goal” of turning Malawi from a net importing and consuming country to a producing and exporting nation within five years.

He said: “In order for us to become a producing and exporting country, we require the necessary tools; that is, the requisite industry and infrastructure that will produce and support production for both import substitution and export activities.”

Mutharika assured the visitors that his government has recently undertaken regulatory and institutional reforms which have removed the burdens investors used to face when wanting to set up businesses in the past.

In his remarks after introducing his delegation, Global African Investment sales director Victor Cruz said since the visitors arrived in the country on Monday this week, they have interacted with competent government and private business officials who are eager to “transact and make deals happen.”

He said after meeting Mutharika, members of his delegation are energised to develop strong bonds with Malawi, after seeing the highest political will towards win-win investment.

“It’s refreshing to work with such a visionary Head of State,” he added. n