First Vice-President Jane Ansah has courted the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) to work with Malawi in various areas, saying it is a beacon of peace and good investment destination.
In a speech delivered at the Seventh AU-EU Summit in Luanda, Angola yesterday and made available to The Nation, she said Malawi has established export value chains in products such as macadamia, soybean oil cake and sunflower which are central to the country’s participation in regional and global markets.
But Ansah said the country’s ability to compete in these markets depends on its connectivity to the wider world.
She said Malawi will continue to search for investors for the Nacala Development Corridor which remains the country’s primary connectivity to markets.
Said Ansah: “It is the most cost-effective route for agricultural and mining exports as well as importing equipment for mining, manufacturing and commercialisation of agriculture. This is what we need to achieve the needed prosperity.”
The summit which started on Monday and closed yesterday brought together Heads of State and Government from the two unions to reaffirm their shared commitment to multilateralism, solidarity, and joint action to address common challenges.
Opening the summit on Monday, Angola President João Lourenço, who is the current AU chairperson, called for stronger cooperation, saying Africa and Europe have everything they need for mutual advancement.
He further called for comprehensive reform of the global financial system, including fairer debt restructuring mechanisms and innovative financing instruments that support African development efforts.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the global financial architecture must be reformed as it is both unfair and ineffective.
The summit was held under the theme ‘Promoting peace and prosperity through effective multilateralism’.
The AU–EU Partnership was formally established at the first Summit in 2000 and serves as a vital platform for political dialogue, economic collaboration and cultural exchange between the two continents.
