By Linda Kwanjana
Malawi leader President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has arrived in Zambia where he will be attending the 22nd Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) Heads of State and Government Summit today.
The day-long conference is being held under the theme “Economic Integration for a Thriving COMESA Anchored on Green investment, Value Addition and Tourism”
Malawi has joined 20 other member countries at the 22nd Summit of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) summit in Lusaka from Tuesday 6th to Thursday 8th June.
The summit – which has attracted close to 3000 delegates from all member states – is categorized in three conventions namely; 18th meeting of COMESA Ministers of Foreign Affairs held on Tuesday, the COMESA Business Forum today (Wednesday) and, the Heads of State and Government meeting slated for tommorow Thursday.
Information from Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicates that His Excellency the State President, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, will attend the Thursday meeting as a way of consolidating Malawi’s position and opportunities within the trade bloc.
Malawi President is leading delegation of business captains and senior Government officials and this delegation is destined to strike bankable trade deals.
COMESA is a free trade area established in 1993, replacing the then Preferential Trade Area that existed from 1981. The main intention at formation was to have a large economic and trading bloc that would eliminate some of the trade barriers put in place by individual states.
Among some notable benefits for Malawi in COMESA is the access to wider markets and infrastructure that supports that trade admittance.
For instance, COMESA formed part of a consortium that funded the construction and operationalization of the Mchinji – Mwami One Stop Border Post. This project promotes Malawi’s export agenda by removing logistical challenges for local businesses doing crossborder trade with Zambia and the entire region.
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