Uganda-Malawi Business Forum a platform to create business opportunities

The First ever Uganda-Malawi Business Forum Exhibition has been described as purposeful and attainable as the two countries seeks to create awareness and generate interest in business enterprise.

Speaking at the opening of a two day forum over the weekend in Lilongwe High Commissioner of Uganda to Tanzania, H.E. Col. (Rtd.) Fred Mwesigye, said Malawi will benefit from abundant opportunities available in Uganda across the sectors of agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, or technology.

He said for example; Uganda has established a motor vehicle production plant for both fuel and electric and the plant has installed capacity of 5000 vehicles per annum.

“Together, Uganda and Malawi can leverage regional and continental frameworks such as COMESA, SADC and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to access a much larger market, reduce the cost of doing business and integrate our value chains. By leveraging these strengths, we can create synergies that benefit both our nations,” he said.

In her remarks Director of Administration from the Ministry of Trade Sphiwe Mauwa said the platform created an enabling environment for business people to acquire knowledge for smooth trade between the two countries.

She stressed on the need for proper information from authorities for people to have knowledge on international trade and that there is also need for Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) to address gaps that are there when international investors including Ugandans face when they have interest of doing business in the country.

A major milestone celebrated during the Forum was the launch of Malawi Airlines new scheduled flights to Uganda, now operating four times weekly, ushering in a new possibilities for trade, tourism, and business mobility.

Held under the theme “Exploring and tapping into the rich opportunities for deeper collaboration,” the forum brings together: government, regulators, investment promotion agencies, financiers, transport and logistics actors, as well as private sector.