President Daniel Chapo
* The bilateral discussions will focus on further deepening and consolidating the cordial and longstanding bilateral relations between the two Republics
* The Dedza/Calomue One-Stop Border Post is a landmark development in cross-border cooperation and trade facilitation
By Duncan Mlanjira
Mozambique President, Daniel Francisco Chapo will arrive in the country for a two-day State Visit from tomorrow, June 5-6 to hold bilateral talks with President Lazarus Chakwera under the theme; ‘Fifty Years of Enhancing Malawi-Mozambique Diplomatic Relations for Shared Properity’.
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A statement from the Ministry of Foreigh Affairs further says during the course of the visit, the two leaders will jointly launch the Dedza/Calomue One-Stop Border Post on Friday in Dedza District, which is “a landmark development in cross-border cooperation and trade facilitation”.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry further says the bilateral discussions will focus on “further deepening and consolidating the cordial and longstanding bilateral relations” between the two Republics
In August 16, 2024, President Chakwera made a State Visit to Mozambique where he signed trade agreements with Chapo’s predecessor, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi — which sought for Malawi to negotiate for a convenient border post, simplified trade regimes, equal treatment of transporters, and tightened security to reduce the crossing of borders using unchartered roots.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was also aimed at improving the energy sector and Chakwera said the signing of the trade agreements was key in enhancing the economic relationship between the two countries.
The MoU also touched on the opening up of the Nacala Port to transport fuel and petroleum products from Mozambique to Malawi in order to reduce transportation costs.
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On his part, the former president Nyusi said the two countries should collaborate to ensure the agreements become practical so that the people of the two countries benefit, saying: “Key sectors that are crucial to the development of our two countries have been thoroughly scrutinised such as agriculture, energy and transport with much focus given to the transport and energy sector.”
He added that the Government of Mozambique will continue supporting the joint project of construction of the 218km Malawi-Mozambique Interconnector Project and Matambo Substation as part of the Mozambique-Malawi Interconnection Project (MOMA).
Chakwera and Nyusi commissioning power interconnection
On November 23, 2021, Nyusi and President Chakwera launched the construction works for the MOMA project at Phombeya in Balaka District from which Malawi is expected to be supplied with 50 megawatts of power, includes construction of 400KV Matambo substation in Tete, Mozambique and 218km of transmission lines from that source into Malawi.
The transmission lines will be 142km from Matambo substation and 76km into Malawi to Phombeya passing through Mwanza and Neno Districts — expected to be completed in 2023.
Realisation of this project translates to improved access to electricity supply in Malawi at 50MW at initial stage with some future potential to increase.
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On the one-stop border posts, which includes Mwanza, Nyusi said at the signing of the MoU last year that it was expected further boost trading activities between the two countries.
He expressed dismay at the current trade volumes between Malawi and Mozambique which are relatively low despite the proximity of major commercial and industrial hubs of the two countries.
He further announced allocated space at Nacala Port for Malawi to be spearheading transportation of products to minimise traffic and cargo taking too long to reach Malawi — thus his successor, President Chipo’s State Visit to strengthen the trade agreements signed in Mozambique.
