Malawi, Israel sign labour export MoU
Malawi and Israel have finally signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to guide labour export to Israeli farms.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo and her Israeli counterpart Israel Katz signed on behalf of their respective governments in Tel Aviv yesterday. Minister of Labour Agnes NyaLonje and Minister of Information and Digitisation Moses Kunkuyu, among other officials, witnessed the occasion.
In an interview yesterday, Kunkuyu said that since the MoU is in place, the labour exports to Israel will resume within a month.
and opening of the embassy
Reacting to the development yesterday, Lilongwe-based Tapson Maganga, spokesperson for a group of 4 500 Malawian
youths seeking jobs in Israel, said this is the news they have been waiting for.
He said: “First of all, I want to thank God for this good news. Secondly, I want to thank Mr Charles Kajoloweka, director of Youth and Society and the
District Commissioner of Lilongwe Dr Lawford Palani for all the efforts starting from first day of our petition up to this great day which we have witnessed the long-awaited signing of MoU.”
The signing was held at Malawi’s mission in Tel Aviv which was officially opened yesterday.
Malawi initially planned to open its embassy in Jerusalem, but changed the decision in view of the unresolved conflict between Israel and Palestine.
In December last year, former Lilongwe City Centre legislator David Bisnowatty was appointed Charge D’Affaires of this mission.
Besides Bisnowatty, Malawi also has Israeli national Nir Gess as Consul General who has been instrumental in facilitating the labour export deal.
According to Kenya-based Israel Ambassador to Malawi Michael Lotem, the MoU is an interim arrangement which will only allow limited number of workers exported to Israel until a bilateral labour agreement is signed
