A statement from the office of the vice president says Chilima will represent President Lazarus Chakwera at the expo. The statement says that the climax of the Expo will be the Malawi National Day on 20th November2021 during which Malawian products, cultural assets and innovations will be displayed to potential investors.
While in Dubai Chilima is expected to address and meet potential investors at the expo.
Malawi has a pavilion showcasing Malawian products and services led by the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre MITC.
Then on 21st November, Chilima will head to Egypt for the Comesa heads of state summit where he has been delegated by Chakwera.
As reports of shortage of essential drugs in the country has surfaced , the Minster of Health found herself asked in parliament to explain government position on the matters
Ministry of Health says atleast 30 billion kwacha is required to recapitalize the Central Medical Stores so that it procures all medical drugs, to save the country from running out of essential medicines. Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Choponda said this at Parliament today while responding to the issue from Dowa North Constituency, where she said her ministry is aware of the shortage, and now engaging ministry of local government and treasury on how best district hospitals can handle their drugs budgets.
Chiponda added that in the meantime, the ministry is sitting on atleast 3 billion kwacha worth of expired drugs due to misprocurement, which may be part of the reason for the drug shortage.
Hon Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda
An acute shortage of essential medical drugs has hit the country’s major referral health facilities and district hospitals reaching crisis levels. Findings show drugs such as, anesthesia, painkillers, lignocaine, and drugs for mental health, epilepsy and sickle cell anemia are in short supply.
Central Medical Stores Spokesperson, Herbert Chandilanga, says, a fast-tracked, stop gap procurement process to restock critical anesthesia items has just received a No Objection approval Friday last week, and that CMST has already talked to selected suppliers to obtain the critical products within the shortest possible time.
Chandilanga, adds, this situation is so because some suppliers struggled to secure logistics mainly at sea, from India and China as there is now a logistics scramble worldwide. CMST is emphasizing on airlifting as a mode of delivery.
Prophet Shepherd Bushiri has announced that this year’s Crossover Prayers for the Enlightened Christian Gathering Church-ECG will take place at the Bingu International Convention Centre Square in the capital Lilongwe, Malawi.
The ECG leader has disclosed this at a media briefing in Lilongwe; stressing the event will strictly adhere to the government’s set COVID-19 guidelines. Bushiri has since asked hotels, tax operators and other relevant stakeholders to collaborate with the church in hosting international visitors from 73 countries.
Prophet Shepherd Bushiri
Last year Bushiri and the ECG church were been denied the use of Malawi’s Bingu National Stadium for a “Miracle Night Crossover” service. The stadium management declined his request for permission to use the facility, citing Covid-19 and Confederation of African Football (CAF) preparations.
President Lazarus Chakwera, a steadfast character, true Pan-Africanist, and one of the most outstanding orators of his generation, on Monday, 15 November, 2021 said trade amongst African nations “is a baby conceived in the womb of our agreements, but a baby yet to be born through our actions”.
Speaking at the Durban Intra-Africa Trade Fair in the Republic of South Africa at the invitation of that country’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, President Chakwera did not mince words but to inform the august gathering there that Africa cannot be a free trade area until member states remove the obstacles that hinder Africans from trading freely across Africa.
“When that happens, Africa will not just be free to trade, but free to demand a better seat at the table of nations. That time is NOW,” the Malawi leader emphasized.
Since the African Continental Free Trade Area was ratified eleven (11) months ago, said President Chakwera, there remains much work to be done to turn Africa into an area where the goods and services from all African nations are traded freely in all Africa nations.
Chakwera and other Heads of State
President Chakwera, who is also the Chairperson of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) noted that there remain many obstacles to be lifted to reverse the fact that 85 percent of goods traded in Africa come from outside Africa.
“One obstacle we must lift to close the gap between our trading dreams and our trading realities is the lack of information about what goods and services supplied in one nation have a market in another.
“The Intra-African Trade Fair goes a long way to lift this obstacle, and I invite you to visit the Malawi booth, where close to 30 of my country’s Captains of Industry are ready to do business. But for each of the 30 businesses who have come with me here, there are 30 thousand who have not. That is why I must say that if we really want to promote Intra-African Trade, then our aim must not be one Intra-African Trade Fair in one country once every two years, but 55 Intra-African Trade Fairs in 55 African nations every year, even some that are product-specific,” said the Malawi Head of State.
According to President Chakwera, the second and biggest obstacle member states must lift to close the gap between trading policy and trading practice is the lack of access to the markets in our respective nations. To make Intra-African Trade a reality, member states must make border procedures Intra-African; visa policies Intra-African; tax regimes Intra-African; transport infrastructure Intra-African; bus-line, rail-line, and airline routes Intra-African; electricity distribution Intra-African; fibre and broadband connectivity Intra-Africa; investment policies Intra-African; industrialization and urbanization drives Intra-African; and shops Intra-African, said the President, attracting a loud applause.
SADC CHAIR ON AFRICAN TRADE, PROSPERITY
In his acceptance address at the Lilongwe SADC Heads of State and Government, President Chakwera emphasized that Africans have a moral duty to refuse second class status in the rules of engagement for participating in the global economy.
President Chakwera said time had come for African states to work together to put the ratified African Free Trade Area to full use until the economic rules that disadvantage African nations are rewritten.
“We as Africans have a moral duty to refuse second class status in the restrictions we accept from outsiders for managing our own finances and resources. So the time has come for us to stand together in insisting that our Bretton Woods Institutions reconfigure the terms and conditions they have imposed on us for decades, leaving us in deeper poverty than they found us,” stated President Chakwera.
INSIDE THE INTRA-AFRICA TRADE FAIR
Intra-Africa Trade-Fair (IATF) is the key event boosting trade in Africa. No other event brings together more professionals under one roof. In 2021, IATF’s theme will focus on the newly-launched African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) – a single market for goods and services across 55 countries, aimed at boosting trade and investment.
Over 1100 exhibitors from different sectors and countries across Africa, including from Malawi, will be showcasing their work at the IATF in Durban in the next seven (7) days. This is a unique African platform to seek investment, forge agreements and promote international cooperation.
Firebrand director of youth Bon Kalindo has challenged UTM hierarchy to fire him from the party if they can prove that what he said in his personal capacity is wrong. This follows a statement issued by the party that condemns his actions over the recent interviews he did in which he attacked the leadership of this country.
Bon Kalindo
Bon Kalindo has said it’s up to UTM to fire him “if speaking on behalf of Malawians is wrong,” saying he is surprised that UTM is responding to what he is speaking on his personal capacity.
Kalindo who is UTM Youth Director has quoted Mlaka Maliro’s song that “neba ukuyankha bwanji nkhani siinali yako,” in questioning his party’s action to condemn him.
Last week, Kalindo tore the Tonse Alliance led government apart over what he calls failure to fulfill its promises and rising cost of living, and he has organized demonstrations slated for this Friday.
Yesterday, UTM released a statement condemning Kalindo’s action, saying the manner in which he conveyed the issues is in total discrepancy and that he went overboard in “hurling insults at President Lazarus Chakwera and Vice President Saulos Chilima.”
