Malawi and Mozambique have signed three agreements aimed at streamlining trade and travel between the two neighbouring countries.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo announced the developments after high-level bilateral talks between President Lazarus Chakwera and visiting Mozambican President Daniel Chapo at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.
The agreements focus on establishing a joint one-stop border post, advancing digital systems and introducing direct flights between the two countries.
Chapo is on a two-day official visit and the two leaders will today jointly inaugurate the Dedza One-stop Border Post whose infrastructure is designed to streamline cross-border trade and movement.
This is Chapo’s first visit to Malawi since he was sworn in as Mozambique President on January 15 2025 after being declared winner of that country’s elections held on October 9 2024.
Briefing the media yesterday, Tembo said there is an urgent need for direct flights between the two countries, noting that the Mozambican delegation had to connect via South Africa and Lusaka, Zambia to reach Malawi.
She said: “Officials from the two countries started meeting on Monday and a report that we gave to the two presidents, was to improve infrastructure, to improve trade, to fast track our connectivity in the area of electricity, but also ICT.
“We also had discussions on the one-stop border post, on other legal matters, security matters and exchange of prisoners.”
But Tembo fell short of providing a specific timeline for implementing the agreements or launching the direct flights.
The latest move builds upon a bilateral agreement signed in October last year to simplify cross-border trade under the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Trade Protocol.
Malawi already maintains similar Simplified Trade Regime (STR) agreements with Zambia and Zimbabwe under the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa).
The agreements come against a backdrop of shifting trade dynamics.
Data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity reveals a steady decline in Malawi’s exports to Mozambique over the past five years while Mozambique’s exports to Malawi have gradually increased.
During the period under review, Malawi’s exports totalled $17.8 million (about K31 billion) in 2022, down significantly from $27.3 million (about K48 billion) in 2017.
Key exports included soya bean meal, corn and animal food. Conversely, Mozambique’s exports to Malawi rose from $41.7 million (about K73 billion) in 2017 to $44.7 million (about K78 billion) in 2022.
In an earlier interview, former Malawi High Commissioner to Mozambique Martin Kansichi said over the years, Malawi has lost out in terms of joint infrastructure development with Mozambique because of the two countries’ difference in policy direction.
He said: “Mozambique has been looking at long-term infrastructure development while Malawi has been looking at short-term development. As such, the plans have been falling through.
“For example, Malawi in recent years has been pushing for the Nsanje World Inland Port Project which was deemed a short-term transport solution by Mozambique compared to other available options such as the rail line project and road project, including the Quelimane Port which needed collaboration between the two countries to do proper feasibility studies.”
Political analyst Mustafa Hussein earlier said that Malawi has not enjoyed a healthy bilateral relationship with Mozambique beginning from the one party rule when there were strained relations between president Hastings Kamuzu Banda and his Mozambique counterpart Samora Machel.
