President Lazarus Chakwera has urged Malawians who are living in Mozambique to make use of the bilateral relations between the two countries and meaningfully invest back home.
Speaking during an interface with the Association of Malawians living in Mozambique (ASSOMAMU) on Friday, President Lazarus Chakwera emphasised that Malawi’s ties with Mozambique signify a trusted relationship which provides a conducive environment for business amongst citizens from both countries.
He said if Malawians residing in the neighboring country take good advantage of the already existing symbiotic relations, then a Malawi that is industrialised with a middle-class economy is possible.
“The environment is now conducive because our bilateral relations are not just on paper. They mean more economic diplomacy that is mutual and beneficial. That is why the two countries are collaborating at levels such as security and trade,” he explained.
In his remarks, ASSOMAMU Chairperson Charlo Ng’ambi said the restoration of the cordial relationship between the two countries, more so with the frequent presidential visits, speaks volumes.
Ng’ambi, therefore, asked the President to consider free trade zone by exporting agricultural produce to Mozambique, direct flight between the two countries as well as extended border operation hours as the current trend affects productivity travelers and trackers as well as transportation services among others.
“Mozambique has over 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, ranking third in Africa after Nigeria and Algeria and is 14th in the world. May I say that Malawi should tap into this natural resource by building a pipeline from the Rovuma basin to Lilongwe, a stretch of about 1, 200 kilometers through our lake which will reduce energy challenges,” he said.
President Chakwera is on a four-day State Visit in respect to Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi’s invitation. Nyusi visited Malawi in November last year.
By Libras Gwazanga – Malawi News Agency
