AGOA to support Nsanje Port – Malawi gateway to economic recovery
President Peter Mutharika who is currently in the United States of America continues to have fruitful discussions in his schedule with the latest being a meeting with the president and the Chief Executive Officer of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Civil Society Network and the Foundation for Democracy in Africa who are committed to work with Malawi government to ensure that the completion of the Nsanje World Inland port which late President Bingu Wa Mutharika initiated materializes.
President of the foundation Fred Oladeinde and his Chief Executive Director Patrick Fine said after meeting Mutharika that he sees the project as Malawi’s gateway to economic recovery.
He hopes Zambia and Mozambique will work together to finalise the project in memory of the late president which might help to integrate Africa into the global economy.
“The Nsanje port will be important in terms of unleashing the potential of Malawi as an export country. We are looking forward to re-engaging with the government on how we as an organization can support this project to make it a success.
“Our mission is to create tangible incentives for African countries to implement economic and commercial reform policies especially in infrastructure projects, which will contribute to a better market opportunities and stronger commercial partners in Africa for US companies.” said Oladeinde, who is also the executive member of the AGOA Civil Society Network.
Asked on the link between democracy and the issue of the Nsanje port, Oladeinde said: “Democracy is key in terms of citizen engagement and in the final analysis economic empowerment is what makes a nation prosperous and also allows citizens to become very committed.”
He said that was why Foundation for Democracy works to ensure that citizens are kept within the system.
“By integrating democracy with issues of economic empowerment, we keep citizens within the system, so we spend a lot of time in making sure that democratic principles are in place,” he added.
“We also want to see small and medium enterprises blossom so that as citizens get committed and converted to political freedom, they can also be part of the economic prosperity of the nation.”
In his remarks, President Mutharika said so far, a feasibility study on the project is completed and very soon SADC, the main implementing partner, will meet to give a report.
“There are several other activities that we intend to finalise this project and currently the African Union, the World Bank and seven other African countries who will benefit from this port are already supporting it,” he disclosed.
The Nsanje World was late President Bingu wa Mutharika’s dream in which he planned to connect Malawi to the outer world by connecting Shire and Zambezi Rivers to the Indian Ocean.
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Those who are day dreaming, keep it up . Even Zambezi would need dredging right up to the ocean. A small bulge operated by a Mozambique Sugar company operates during rainy season when the depth towards Zambezi mouth is deep enough.
This is wishful thinking and shall forever remain such.
Good to hear.please Mozambique cooperate and help your poor brother Malawi,don’t harden your heart against your brother who is languishing in poverty.please,please help us,do not hinder it again This once,let us uplift each other as they do in RSA and Botswana,swazi,namib Lesotho,Mmm? Can’t we learn from Europe?
Forger ahead,forger ahead!!!!!!The only reaction that the wicked does is to clap hands if one fails and to have him/herself hung to a tree if one succeeds.
Once materialized,expect more frustrated faces from awowo!!!!!
Wina amagawa a bakha mbuzi ndi ng’ombe ndikunena pano zinaswa ndipo zagawidwa kwa ena. Nanga uyu walowayu ungandiwuze chomwe wapaga? Amati atsitsa malata, malatawo atsika? Simenti yatsika?
Chitukuko koma chimenechi!
I think the President has Malawi’s interests at heart. However, AGOA is a trade arrangement which allows African countries to export goods duty free and in some instances quota free to the US. It is a program administered by the US Department of Commerce./Trade. Having said that, Nsanje Inland Port is a very important project for Malawi. We have high landing costs and so we need direct access to the sea. AGOA will not provide funds for infrastructure development. I am happy that the President asked Mr. Oladeinde the link between democracy and the Inland Port because these guys want… Read more »
Foolish and short-sighted people with no strategic thinking cannot see the importance of the port. All they see are the obstacles and at least moment by moment self-interest.
Becareful many people will come and present a false analysis OF THIS as they have already started writing empty comments, the feasibility studies were done by professionals in Africa not Malawian cheats. Shire river can easily be dreged its already deep enough to handle barges and small river ships. Shire is dangerously deep those from lower shire knows it, any capsizing of a canoe or any vessels is very dangerous so the issue of handling ships is not an issue,only years of accumulated mud which can easily be dreged.
The problem with people like POPAPO and ToTANI who I believe is one pig, is they think regionalistically they have a hatred for Development to take place in the Southern Region and they always think the development should go to the region they come from. I want to be very open here the Shire Zambezi Water Way and the Sena Corridors is a life line for Malawi, unfortunately Malawians are very wicked people they will try again to frustrate Peter on this with the assistance of Joyce who did that against Bingu in conjunction with some elements in Mocambique. The… Read more »
You are wasting time with the Americans. If you want real results please go to China. Feasibility Study report for the Americans will be produced in 2019 when you Peter will be back teaching at University of Science and Technology.