Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema says there is need for Malawi and Zambia to reduce roadblocks on the roads connecting the two countries in order to ease movement of goods and people.
He was speaking at the joint official opening ceremony of the Mchinji/Mwami One stop Border post between Malawi and Zambia on Wednesday.
“I call on ministries of home affairs in the two countries to ensure that they reduce some of the road blocks which delay movement of people, in the same vein this should not compromise on security and encourage trafficking,” he explained.
He added that the Mchinji/Mwami OSBP facility will spur higher trade flows and economic activity in the Nacala Corridor.
On his part, President Lazarus Chakwera said the Mchinji/Mwami One stop border post (OSBP) will enhance regional, cultural and economic integration between Zambia and Malawi.
The President said the opening of the OSBP facilities in the two countries, will ensure that the bond between the two countries remains strong and special.
“This One Stop Border Post is good news for travelers, for traders and for our economies. It is also good for investors for harmony and solidarity. After all, the bond that exists between Malawi and Zambia, is so deep and so rich that it transcends the artificial barriers that have been created to separate us,” he said,
The President added that the OSBP would not only ease facilitation of trade but also improve security for the people of the two countries as they will be serviced in a friendly environment in the new border facilities.
Malawi’s Minister of Trade and Industry Mark Katsonga Phiri said the completion of the two projects by the Chakwera and Hichilema regimes signified the importance the two governments attaches to development projects that improve people’s livelihoods.
Zambian Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Chipoka Mulenga pledged his governments commitment to ensure that the OSBP facilities achieve the purpose it was intended for, by reducing delays people encountered at the borders.
The two facilities in Mchinji and Mwami were constructed with financial support from African Development Bank, the European Union (EU) and COMESA.
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