By Stanley Nkhondoyachepa in Dare salaam Tanzania
Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania: Malawi`s President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera on Tuesday held an interface meeting with his Zambian counterpart, Hakainde Hichilema aimed at deepening bilateral ties to facilitate trade and economic cooperation.
Speaking after the meeting held on the sidelines of the 300 Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the President said of particular interest was a discussion on the challenges Malawi is facing to lift volumes of Petroleum products from other regional ports.
“I have therefore suggested to president Hichilema long term alternatives that bring Zambia into the equation” he said.
Chakwera said some of the of the suggested alternatives involves lifting some of Malawi`s fuel from Lusaka to leverage the pipeline that reaches there from Dar es Salaam and the other involves bringing some of Malawi`s fuel by rail from Chipata through Mchinji.
The President observed that both ways would leverage Zambia`s experience from its establishments of linkages to the sea in Lobito, Angola.
The Malawi leader said he together with the Zambian President remain committed to ensure that the two countries continue learning from each other in advancing their respective development agendas around Agriculture, Tourism, Mining and Trade, among other key sectors.
Malawi has for the past months been facing interrupted fuel supply leading to scarcity of the commodity which has prompted vendors to sell it at an exorbitant price.
President Chakwera`s effort to find alternative means of bringing fuel into the country will likely minimize the challenges and ensure a stable supply of the commodity as well as drive the vendors out of the illegal fuel market.
