Govt says Malawi not benefiting much from Comesa
Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism Joseph Mwanamvekha has said Malawi is not benefiting much from the Common Market for East and Central Africa (Comesa) regional trade block because the country is not industrialised.
Recent statistics show that Malawi remains a net importer and a dumping ground for cheap products from the Comesa region.
The data shows the gap between Malawi and Comesa has continued to grow wide, with the deficit hitting $12 million (about K9 billion).
Latest figures show that Malawi exported $212 million (K155 billion) worth of goods compared to imports at $224 million (about K164 billion) last year.
“Both government and the private sector have a role to play in improving the trade performance. As you are aware, Comesa trade is a private sector-led market, but if we were he said.
Mwanamveka has, however, said opting out of the trade bloc is not a solution as Malawi cannot operate in isolation.
