By Stanley Nkhondoyachepa and Memory Chatonda
President Lazarus Chakwera has arrived in the city of Nacala in the Republic of Mozambique where he is expected to attend the inauguration of the rehabilitated, expanded, and upgraded Nacala port infrastructure.
Chakwera landed on Saturday at 9:45am through Nacala Airport and was welcomed by President of Mozambique Filipe Nyusi, Malawi’s Minister of Transport and Public Works Jacob Hara, the High commissioner for Malawi in Mozambique Wezi Moyo and other local and international dignitaries.
Later, he was taken to Nacala Plaza Business Design Hotel before proceeding to Nacala port for the inauguration ceremony.
President Chakwera, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema are expected to deliver speeches to mark the official launch of the newly rehabilitated, expanded, and upgraded Nacala port.
Speaking at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in Lilongwe before his departure on Saturday morning, President Dr. Chakwera said the Nacala Port is critical for Malawi as it will ease the country`s transport problems.
The Malawian leader Dr. Chakwera observed that the Nacala port has the potential of making it cheaper and quicker to bring goods to the country as it is closer to Malawi than the Beira and Dar es Salaam ports.
The president said while in Mozambique, he will sign three agreements that will help in the transport sector.
“We will sign an institutional agreement, rail as well as road transport agreements together with the presidents of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema and the Mozambican president, Filipe Nyusi who has invited us” he said.
According to a press release from the ministry of foreign affairs, the launch of the upgraded Nacala port infrastructure adds to the various initiatives the government is undertaking to address the systemic economic challenges the country is facing.
The port of Nacala underwent substantial revamping, from 2018 to 2023.
The rehabilitation, expansion, and modernisation project of the port of Nacala was funded by the Japanese Government, through the Japanese International Development Agency (JICA), at the tune of USSD277.5.
The project aimed at increasing the productivity of cargo handling by improving facilities at the port, thereby contributing to economic development and poverty reduction in the Nacala development corridor, which covers Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia.
