LMC pitches trade plan
President Lazarus Chakwera on Thursday asked China to support the expansion of Malawi’s road and railway network to neighbouring countries to promote regional trade in the spirit of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
In his address at a high-level BRI forum in Beijing, China after the opening of the 2024 Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (Focac) where President Xi Jinping unveiled a $51 billion financial package to support development initiative in Africa in the next three years, he touted BRI as a noble effort to transition nations in the global south from poverty to prosperity.
The package includes credit lines, grants and funding to be channelled to Chinese companies to invest in Africa.
The President said he has proposed an extension of the Chinese-funded Tanzania-Zambia Railway (Tazara) to be connected to the Nacala Corridor through Malawi.
Said Chakwera: “The Malawi Government is currently rehabilitating the Beira railway [Sena Corridor] line and has already started the rehabilitation of 72 kilometres [km] of rail from the Mozambique border using local resources.
“The plan is to rehabilitate the entire 201km rail from Marka [in Nsanje] to Limbe, making it operational again up to Beira port in Mozambique.”
Similarly, he said Malawi plans to upgrade the 272 km Rumphi-Nyika-Chitipa Road to enhance connectivity to neighbouring Zambia, a development which will improve regional trade.
The President said with the ratification and adoption of the African Continental Free Trade Area, China is Africa’s best partner for creation of the road and rail infrastructure necessary for connecting nations in Africa.
“In fact, I believe that this is one of the legacies China should aim to establish in Africa,” said Chakwera.
He also seized the moment to invite China to go beyond the African Union focus and decentralise its approach to support regional infrastructure developments in both Southern African Development Community (Sadc) and Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) where Malawi belongs.
Said Chakwera: “The bottom line, as I see it, Your Excellency, is that China is the world’s leader in infrastructure development. It has successfully executed numerous major transport infrastructure projects.
“As such, Malawi fully endorses China’s quest to be the partner of choice in infrastructure development in the Global South.”
In a newly adopted three action plan with 10 focus areas, China is targeting to improve trade links within Africa and beyond.
Part of the funding will go towards infrastructure development and capacity building for African businesses to be able to compete on the global market.
In his key note address at the opening of the summit, President Xi Jinping announced a major decision to provide a zero-tariff treatment to 33 countries in Africa as a way of opening its market.
Said Xi: “We have decided to give all LDCs having diplomatic relations with China, including 33 countries in Africa, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines. This has made China the first major developing country and the first major economy to take such a step.
“It will help turn China’s big market into Africa’s big opportunity. China will expand market access for African agricultural products, deepen cooperation with Africa in e-commerce and other areas.”
The opening at the Great Hall of the People was attended by at least 50 leaders from Africa as well as the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Presidential press secretary Anthony Kasunda in an interview said Malawi is among the unnamed 33 countries that will benefit from this arrangement and that President Xi made mention of this during his meeting with Chakwera.
Meanwhile, the President has wound up his tour of duty in China. During the tour, he met President Xi and Vice-President Han Zheng as well as some investors.
Focac was established in 2000 to provide a forum for critical engagement between China and Africa. It has become a major platform where important decisions are made.
Nearly all African countries had a representation with over 75 percent of leaders attending in person, signifying the importance associated with this forum.
