Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera on Saturday attended the inauguration of the expanded Nacala Port in Mozambique, a project geared to improve regional economic integration of the three countries namely Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique.
“When we speak of regional economic integration, we must understand that it cannot be done without regional cooperation and collaboration. And when we speak of regional collaboration, we must understand that it cannot be done without building trust between our nations to enhance our bilateral relations. Without building trust, the work of facilitating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will simply be too difficult to achieve, as will its intended objective of improving logistical effectiveness reducing logistical costs of conduct business between our nations,” said Chakwera.
President Chakwera paid a special tribute to President Nyusi for giving Malawi the opportunity to use the port for her economic prosperity saying “it is so rare in Africa to see a nation treat the prosperity of another nation as being inextricably linked to its own, and yet President Nyusi treats Malawi’s prosperity in this manner again and again.”
“So for being a true Pan Africanist and for demonstrating true brotherhood that seeks to see Malawi and Mozambique prospering together, I say Muito Obrigado to you my dear brother,” said Chakwera.
During the inauguration ceremony of the Port, the three countries signed the revised Nacala Development Corridor Agreement (NDC-Agreement) and two other agreements on Rail and Road Transport modes.
“Through the execution of these agreements, I look forward to a vibrant Nacala Corridor that is attractive to both local and international investors. We will have to use these agreements to ensure that we continue to improve transport and trade facilitation through the removal of nontrade barriers to trade, including physical and non-physical ones,” he concluded.
