Mozambique: Malawi Cargo Returns to Nacala Port

Maputo

Significant amounts of Malawian exports and imports are once again using the northern Mozambican port of Nacala, reports Monday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias".

The port, and the rail corridor that connects it to Malawi handled 119,351 tonnes of cargo in September, which was the largest volume in a single month since the leasing of the port to private management in January 2005.

This was a 63 per cent increase on the August figure, and is thanks to a sharp increase in traffic to and from Malawi.

The port handled 4,107 containers in September, which was a 55 per cent rise when compared with August.

By the end of the third quarter of this year, Nacala port had handled nearly the same volume of cargo as in all 12 months of 2006.

Fernando Couto, one of the executive directors both of the Northern Development Corridor (CDN), that manages the Nacala system, and of Central East African Railways (CEAR) of Malawi, said "There has been patient work to win back the Malawian clients, and valuable aid from the Malawian government, that started believing again in the Nacala Corridor".

It had been about four years since Malawian tobacco had been exported through the Nacala port, but the tobacco containers are back this year.

However, the largest volumes of cargo were the import of fertiliser for Malawian agriculture, and of raw material for Malawian cement production.

There is great pressure for the fertiliser to be delivered to Malawi in good time. Since September 60,000 tonnes of fertiliser was unloaded at Nacala, and about half of it has been transported by rail to Malawi.

According to Couto, CDN and CEAR have been in close contact with the Malawian authorities to ensure the removal of any obstacles to the delivery of fertilisers.

The influx of cargo into the port has had a positive impact on the railway line. By the end of September, the railway services had handled 31,356 tonnes of cargo on the line linking Nacala to Entre-Lagos, on the Malawian border, which compares with only 20,678 tonnes for the whole of last year.

Despite the shortage of engines and wagons, the good cooperation between the Mozambican and Malawian railway systems led to positive results, that are encouraging the clients to use Nacala port and the railway.

Couto noted that "since January this year, the two railway systems are being managed with resort to their own funds, with no external financing. We have started relying on our own efforts, and now we are worth what we can manage to do".

Malawi to turn new 43-metre memorial tower into tourism centre

Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika said Sunday afternoon that his government was planning to turn a natural park area surrounding a newly opened 43-metre memorial clock tower into a recreation and tourism centre in the heart of the capital Lilongwe.

Speaking during the commissioning of the centre and commemoration of Armistice Day to mark the end of the two World Wars, Mutharika said the centre is a true expression of appreciation to those people who gave their lives to bring freedom to Africa and other parts of the world in general.

The president said his government was committed to fully honour the fallen heroes who played significant roles in the history of the country when they, under colonial master Britain, travelled to Kenya, Somaliland, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Burma to fight during the two wars.

\« This memorial centre will honour the fallen heroes of First and Second World Wars, including Malawians, who fought tirelessly and surrendered their lives to bring peace and freedom to us,\ » he said.

The 1.3 billion kwacha (US$24 million) centre will have statutes of the country’s heroes, recreation facilities and military rooms for the annual military parade that is part of Armistice Day.

Military representatives from neighbouring Zambia and Mozambique attended the event in the Malawi capital.

Malawians, then called Nyasas (from Nyasaland, as the country was known then), like their counterparts elsewhere in colonial Africa, were among those who joined hands with their colonial masters to fight in the two great wars of World War 1 from 1914 to 1918 and World War 11 from 1939 to 1945.

Malawi bounce back in African showdown

Malawi got their netball world championship campaign back on track with a tough 44-32 win over African rivals Botswana in Auckland today.

The Queens of Africa had to work hard for their 12-goal victory following their lopsided opening game loss to New Zealand on Saturday night.

Gold medallists at the last two COSANA tournaments in Africa, Malawi led 12-6 after the first quarter but Botswana fought back with some enterprising play and long range shooting to close the margin to just two goals for a halftime score of 18-16.

Malawi again showed their experience and strong defence to open out to a 30-24 lead by the end of the third quarter, converting 12 of 14 goal attempts.

Their stronger defensive qualities in the circle created turnovers in the final quarter and restricted Botswana to 12 shots at goal, only eight of which were successful.

It leaves Malawi to battle Wales tomorrow morning for the second pool A qualifying spot in the top eight.