Malawi gets Chinese ‘buffet’, K6.5bn to buy maize: China Foreign Minister meets President Mutharika
President Arthur Peter Mutharika on Sunday met Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Peoples Republic of China, Wang Yi at Kamuzu Palace where the envoy forwarded a donation of K6.5 billion from his government to Malawi for the purchase of maize as a response to hunger situation in the country.
Malawi gets Chinese ‘buffet’, K7bn to buy maize: China Foreign Minister meets President Mutharika
Yi also informed the Malawi leader that China has also pledged to come forward to mordenise Malawi’s agriculture sector which is being restructured to enhance value addition and industrialization.
This is not the first time for China to intervene during dire times for Malawi. Besides fixed projects, China has helped Malawi in dealing with emergencies such as natural disasters and drought. China supported Malawi with US$500,000 under the China-Malawi-UNDP Cooperation Disaster Management and Risk Reduction Project.
This will help to support the poor and vulnerable communities located within Malawi’s 15 identified disaster prone districts. In addition, China also donated US$600,000 towards the flood relief efforts in Malawi.
In his remarks during the meeting President Mutharika noted that bilateral relations between the governments and people of Malawi and China stand to flourish further in many generations to come looking at how the two countries have benefited from each other over the past eight years.
While emphasizing that Malawi recognizes the “One China Policy”, the President recounted the many phenomenal infrastructure projects that have taken place since 2007 when Malawi switched relations from Taiwan to China.
“Our cooperation with China shall remain unchanged and we will continue to maintain the principle of ‘One China Policy’ and peaceful Chinese reunification.
“ Since the establishment of our bilateral cooperation in December, 2007, China has remained a true friend and committed development partner to Malawi, in a number of major sectors, including infrastructure development, disaster management and risk reduction, agriculture, education, defense and security,” he said.
He added: “China’s spirit of hard work continues to inspire the people of Malawi, as we endeavour to achieve sustainable socio-economic development.”
Some of these projects include the Malawi Parliament Building in Lilongwe and the Karonga-Chitipa road, the Five-star Hotel, the Bingu International Conference Centre and Presidential Villas in Lilongwe, the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) and the Matapwata Secondary School, and the nearly completed Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
China’s continued support to Malawi is seen – by economic and political experts- as a crucial aspect in unlocking the country’s potential as it moves from a predominantly importing nation to an exporting one as per APM’s prime vision.
In that vein President Mutharika reiterated the importance of China’s second phase of infrastructure projects which focus on crucial sectors of the economy in line with the import-to-export vision.
The second-phase projects include Kam’mwamba Coal Fired Power Plant, E-Government (National Identity) Project, Tsangano–Neno–Mwanza Road, Chileka International Airport, Mangochi–Makanjira Road, Lilongwe Dual Carriage Way, Upgrading of Phombeya-Makanjira-Nkhotakota-Chatoloma Power Line, Cancer Centre and Referral Hospital in Blantyre and new
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office Building Complex.
“We strongly believe that the implementation of the enumerated projects will go a long way in transforming Malawi. The Kam’mwamba Coal Fired Power Plant will be one of the key projects that will drive the Malawi economy. It is, therefore, our sincere hope that all measures will be taken to kick-start the implementation of these projects as soon as possible,” said President Mutharika.
In addition, China gave Malawi a grant amounting to approximately US$16 million and a soft loan amounting to US $8 million for the Mzuzu Youth Centre, construction of five Community Technical Colleges, and procurement of Police vehicles.
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kodi apeleka okha ku anamalira azitafune
I would like to make a correction on the population of Indians that instead of 1.3m,it should read 1.3b.I kindly regret for error.
Ine chomwe ndikudabwa ndi chokuti not so long ago we were told that we have excess maize and we can sell some more. Now we need to buy. Kuli munthu wa nzeru bwino bwino ku mitu imene ikutilamulirayi?
Mr.Mbuya you better read extensively to critique other people’s views.1.3 m you are pointing to Indians.The combined population of China and India equals 3.3 billion.According to the United Nations Population Index,the rest of the world population excluding China and India is 3.7billion.Please get educated this is 21st century you don’t even think that why if you sign a contract with China,the latter bring with them their own labourers,do you know why? Let a sleeping dog lie.For your information,there are.2million Chinese in Africa alone,how about that? After me and you are gone,our grandchildren will take up arms and fight the novel… Read more »
Amazed that to this day some Malawians think ADMARC is to blame for failure to deliver maize to poor people. Have you all forgotten that ADMARC was rendered useless in the 1990s when farmer clubs were abolished, loans defaulted and new government emplyed ADMARC as a political pawn for settling foolish scores. Some ADMARC markets were closed a long time ago, it is a shame that the NFRA is not being mentioned anywhere and yet this is the agency that should be feeding the poor of the poorest.
Timadzidyetsa tokha nthawi ya Ngwazi Kamuzu Banda. Lero China atipangire toothpick atiguliernso nsima. Maproffesors aja tidavotera ali kuti? Shame to my mother land Malawi.
I think we should feel ashamed that after helping us to build luxury infrastructure
Such as conference centre and stadium China is also now feeding us. Shame shame shame
Winston Msowoya…China’s population is not 2billion rather 1.3billion!!! It seems people find pleasure in misleading others hmmmm……Amene abe ndalama zimenezi afe ndi nthenda ina ilionse within three months ikubwera…people are suffering in the villages….please ADMARC put ur logistics house in order
Is there any need to have a president and cabinet in Malawi worthy spending tax payers money on when it is very clear that they cannot come up with sound policies to create our own wealth and what they all know is to receive and steal foreign aid? And some comments here typical of lazy brains are applauding China as the way to turn to with our begging plate. Shame! Even at home if a father perpetually takes delight in receiving from well wishers just know that is failure on its own.
Thanks to the Peoples Republic of China for the timely donation and the numerous aid you have given to Malawi. To my government I think we wasted oppotunities by cling to the western idealogy of rrecognising Taiwan (Formosa) rather the PRC if we had done so earlier Malawi could have moved see the Tazara Line built ages ago. Leave UK for the small minded Cammeron and his inhuman regime who want us to die because we dont see eye to eye with somme of their stupid policies. Yes we might have some short fall but is that a passport to… Read more »