President Arthur Peter Mutharika has told newly sworn-in Minister of Mining that tough negotiations are key to unlocking Malawi’s mineral wealth pinpointing cartels in Malawi.
Speaking at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Tuesday, during swearing-in of Thoko Tembo, Mutharika said Malawi’s past mining deals failed because the country lacked negotiation skills, leaving citizens with little to no benefit.
“Investors are not charities. But Malawi must also benefit from its resources,” Mutharika hinted.
He promised to back the new ministry with experts to help seal agreements that favor Malawians.
The President disbanded Ministry of Ministry of Energy and Mining to the standalone Ministries citing the later sector can now drive economic growth if managed properly.
Mutharika further warned mineral smugglers and cartels, calling them “traitors willing to sell the country for a few pieces of silver” and vowed to hunt them down.
The newly appointed Minister Thoko Tembo accepted the challenge and pledged to prioritize national interests in all future mining negotiations.
