* With its improved infrastructure, the border post will significantly reduce clearance timeframes, allowing cross-border traders and travelers to save valuable time
Maravi Express
The state-of-the-art Dedza/Calomue ‘One-Go Border Post, which was commissioned by President of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera alongside his Mozambican counterpart, Daniel Francisco Chapo on June 6, brings together all the departments stationed under one roof, ensuring effective service delivery.
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Situated approximately 100km south of the Capital City Lilongwe, the Dedza border shares its north-eastern boundary with Mozambique’s Calomue Border Post in the Tete Province.
The border post is serving cross-border traders and migrants with the help of various government departments, including Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), Immigration, Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS), and Ministry of Agriculture.
With its improved infrastructure, the border post will significantly reduce clearance timeframes, allowing cross-border traders and travelers to save valuable time.
The highlights in pictures:
The World Bank-funded US$9.6 million Dedza/Calomue One-Go Border Post was described at its commissioning as a significant step towards enhancing regional integration and trade facilitation.
World Bank Country Manager, Firas Raad said at the commissioning that apart from celebrating 50 years of existence between Malawi and Mozambique, the day marked a new beginning of fast trade as well as regional cooperation between the two countries.
“This improves the system, digitises it, and also improves the waiting time — all this has been made possible through the good relations between Malawi and Mozambique,” Raad had said.
The facility aims to streamline border clearance procedures, reduce transit times, and boost trade between Malawi and Mozambique and in his remarks, President Chakwera, said the One Go Border Post was another positive development worth rejoicing.
The president further applauded the World Bank and other partners for making it happen, adding that the facility will improve trade and investment.
“As we celebrate the 50 years of Mozambique and Malawi ties, we are happy to take our relations to higher levels and we want to celebrate this as a starting point of greater things to come — building from strong foundations that have already been laid.”
He further said Malawi and Mozambique will continue to cooperate in many areas of co-existence for the prosperity of Africa — while his guest of honour, Chapo, expressed gratitude for the invitation, describing the ceremony as historical.
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“This One-Go Border Post shows the relationship between the two people,” he said. “The 50 years are a lifetime achievement and we are here to confirm our relationship and improve the living conditions of our people,” Chapo said while calling on the African continent to improve its infrastructure so as to ensure free trade a reality, and to also boost economies.
“We are one people, we are brothers and sisters,” he said. “Let’s remove the barriers among our people because this is what they want — more developments of One-Go so that our people can do rapid businesses,” Chapo said.—Pictures courtesy of Malawi Government Facebook page
