The Malawi leader Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has voiced Malawi’s keen interest in joining the Angola–Zambia Oil Pipeline Project agreement during a recent diplomatic engagement.
President Chakwera’s remarks follow a productive bilateral dialogue with Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, the President of Angola, as both leaders deliberated on avenues of cooperation and shared benefits.
The discourse, which took place within the framework of the 43rd Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), saw President Chakwera underscore the potential game-changing consequences of Malawi’s engagement in the Angola–Zambia Oil Pipeline Project.
“The volatility in petroleum supply has indisputably cast a shadow on Malawi’s economy,” President Chakwera remarked. “Enhanced access to a consistent oil supply holds the promise of substantial advantages for Malawi.”
President Chakwera disclosed that Malawi has proactively embarked on formalizing its participation in the initiative, citing discussions held by the country’s Minister of Energy with their Angolan counterpart.
This dialogue serves as an articulation of Malawi’s willingness to align with the Angola–Zambia Intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding.
With the same context, President Chakwera welcomed the signing of the General Cooperation Agreement, which lays the groundwork for establishing a Joint Commission of Cooperation between Angola and Malawi
This agreement, signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo and her Angolan counterpart Tete Antònio, is expected to enhance bilateral relations in sectors of energy, agriculture, mining defence and security, as well as trade and investment.
Departing from Luanda, President Chakwera, accompanied by First Lady Monica Chakwera, is set for Johannesburg, South Africa, to attend the 15th Session of the Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) Plus Outreach Summit, scheduled from August 22nd to 24th, 2023.
The BRICS engagement is poised to provide President Chakwera a platform to engage in bilateral consultations with global leaders, with a strategic focus on securing aid to facilitate Malawi’s economic resurgence.
