Malawians, let’s embrace positivity. President Lazarus Chakwera and all Malawians can now breathe a sigh of relief, thanks to the inauguration of the Nacala Port Facility in Mozambique, marked by the dispatch of a train carrying full fuel tanks to Malawi. This development promises to alleviate the fuel shortages that Malawi has been grappling with.
When news first emerged that the Malawi leader would be traveling to Mozambique for this port’s inauguration, there was a wave of negativity from the public regarding the trip. However, what many didn’t realize is that this event aligns, among other things, with the equation of forex availability. Increased export capacity with reduced costs means a boost in forex inflow, which benefits the nation.
Again, it must also be pointed out that the decreased import cost of essential commodity like fuel, drugs and farming inputs entail lessened burden on forex and by interpolation, increased capacity of sustaining their inflow. All this is good for the nation. Zambia’s HH is also attending and the narrative is the same.
Zambia says it stands to highly benefit from this port which has increased a handling capacity from 100,000 containers per day to 250,000 containers per day. Showing that Malawi is in this project is very key to Mozambique which is in the end, responsible for allowing other countries’ access with or without stringent conditions.
When there is good relationship and investments, Malawi would benefit with good terms and conditions. The public should remember that Malawi’s attempt to open Nsanje Inland Port was an event that had upset Mozambique and our access to Nacala Corridor was threatened. It was an issue of conflicting interests over the river that navigates through Nsanje to the sea in Mozambique.
Malawi proceeded with that project without proper discussions with Mozambique. But it turned out that we were not only selfish but also foolish because nature proved that the so-called inland Port could not work as drought exposed the phenomenon that ships can’t sail there. No water unless if we can invent a new river passing through high space into far seas.
Therefore, it was very important not only for diplomacy sake but for the entire nation to realize economic benefits for Chakwera to attend this Nacala port facility inauguration.
