Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema – HH and his Malawi Counterpart Lazarous Chakwera have pledged to fast tract completion works at the US$7.5 million one stop border post construction which started in 2018.
President Hichilema during a joint press briefing with Malawi President Chakwera stated that his visit to Malawi underscores the deep relationship and ties that exist between the two countries. The two countries share common languages, culture and ancestry among others.
HH stated that Zambia and Malawi has enjoyed good relations with Malawi at people to people and government to government level. He stated that this visit has enabled to two leaders to agree to extend the relations further to include deep business to business relations.
According to the United Nations COMTRADE data on international trade, Malawi exports to Zambia in 2020 was about US$27 million while Zambia’s exports to Malawi in the same year was about US$104 million.
President Hichilema and his Malawi counterpart however did not announce the signing of any specific or quantifiable bilateral trade deal and the visit was mostly concentrated on diplomatic etiquette.
Zambia and Malawi share a common land border of over 800 kilometers that the two countries should use to further deepen corporations and trade. HH said the two countries should continue to foster and entrench democracy. Sustainability of democracy relies on creation of better opportunities for the youth as well as accelerating economic and social development.
And Malawi President Lazarous Chakwera who is also serving as the regional Southern Africa Development Community – SADC Chairman re-affirmed that the two leaders agreed to timely harmonize and simplify border controls to increase the volume of trade.
Chakwera stated that he has agreed with HH to support the completion of the Mchinji – Mwami border modernization works and the two leaders pledged to open it early next year 2022.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) financed the US$7.5 million construction of a one stop border facility at Mwami/Mchinji Border. This Zambia-Malawi one stop border facility has being under construction from September 2018.
The one stop border post is expected to enhance Zambia’s trade with neighboring Malawi and facilitate the efficient processing of more goods, people movement and general trade transactions.
