Mutharika to face Magufuli head on as Lake Malawi border dispute hearing continues
As the boarder wrangle over the ownership of Lake Malawi between neighbouring countries Malawi and Tanzania continues, a High Level Mediation Team (HLMT) chaired by former Mozambican President Joachim Chisano has agreed to bring together Presidents for the two countries to seek their guidance on the resolution of the famous Lake Malawi Boarder Dispute (LMBD).
The decision was made at the end of a two day LMBD mediation talks that were held at Centurion, Pretoria in South Africa from 11-12 July 2017.
The Malawi delegation was led by Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Francis Kasaila who was accompaned by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Samuel Tembenu, SC, among other senior government officials.
According to information from the Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the meeting in South Africa, the Malawi delegation restated and reaffirmed its position that the lake boundary is the Shoreline as established by Article (1) 2 of the Anglo-German Treaty.
The Malawi delegation therefore opposed some of what they called ‘unacceptable decisions’ such as production of maps purpoting to change the current Malawi and Tanzania boundary which the government of Malawi previously already rejected.
The government of Malawi further asserted that both parties avoid taking provocative actions which can escalate tension.
However, Malawi has expressed commitment to respect African Boundaries existing at the time of independence in consonance with the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and African Union Declaration.
Having held from delegates from both parties at the meeting, the mediation team proposed that it should brief and consult with Malawi President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika and his counterpart John Pombe Magufuli for their guidance and the resolution of the dispute.
The mediation team is therefore expected to meet Mutharika and Magufuli within a period of three months effective 12th July 2017.
