Malawi says it is still waiting for an official position from the Mozambican Government regarding the Shire Zambezi Waterway Project in Nsanje.
Malawi High Commissioner to Mozambique Frank Elias Viyazhi insisted in a statement on Friday that Malawi is still in talks with Mozambique.
Earlier this month, the Mozambican Government through Horário Parquinio, Head of Department of Bilateral Cooperation in the Ministry of Transport and Communication, said the issue of Nsanje Inland Port is a closed affair and there will be no further talks between Malawi and Mozambique concerning the port.
But in his statement, Viyazhi said Malawi does not regard Parquinio’s comments to the media as the official position of the Mozambican Government.
“The two Governments are in talks at the highest level and not at department level and all diplomatic channels are open and functional,” he said.
According to Viyazhi, there are a lot of programs and projects that the two countries cooperate through Diplomatic Channels for the benefit of the people of the two countries.
He added that it is difficult for Mozambique to snub Malawi because that will be as good as denying Mozambicans development in the interest of SADC Regional Integration.
The K15 billion Nsanje Port was constructed during the reign of President Peter Mutharika’s brother, Bingu wa Mutharika, who wanted to connect Malawi to the Indian Ocean via the Zambezi River.
However, Mozambique argued that the Zambezi River is not navigable and told the Malawi to conduct a comprehensive conduct a feasibility study.
