Malawi repositioning on foreign policy

Malawi is expected to open three new diplomatic offices this year as a priority to its foreign relations repositioning, Nyasa Times understands.

The southern African country will open embassy in Beijing for its new diplomatic ally, China after dumping Taiwan. Malawi is also expected to open diplomatic missions in Iran and Cuba later in the year.

According to Foreign Affairs Minister, Joyce Hilda Banda, Malawi embassy in Beijing will be opened in February following the opening

President Bingu wa Mutharika is expected to make a state visit to China which will climax the official opening of the embassy.

Mutharika will be visiting China at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao who sent a letter of invitation through his special envoy Zhai Jun.

Jun, who is assistant foreign affairs minister in China, opened the embassy in Lilongwe.

"Malawi is confident that the agreements in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that the two countries signed late last year will be adhered to," said Banda.

Mutharika who met the Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister expressed satisfaction with developing relations with China, and emphasised his government's willingness to adhere to the one China policy.

Foreign Affairs ministry officials have also informed Nyasa Times that Malawi will open an embassy in Iran.

"Malawi will open an embassy in Iran as the two countries will soon establish formal relations," disclosed an official.

President Mutharika is scheduled to visit Tehran with the objective to strengthen diplomatic relations and hold talks with Iranian despot Ahmadinejad.

"The President was invited by his Iranian counterpart Ahmadinejad to visit Tehran this year. The Iran trip is on the cards and an embassy will be opened," said Foreign affairs official.

Iranian foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, visited Malawi last November, met President Mutharika, and disclosed that Tehran has the political will to boost its ties with African countries including Malawi.

Mottaki delivered a personal message from President Ahmadinejad and an invitation for Mutharika to visit Tehran.

Mutharika is on record to have praised Iran's efforts to expand bilateral relations and appreciated Iran's "rich history and culture."

Foreign Affairs insiders have also disclosed that Malawi will be establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba.

"All is set for Malawi and Cuba to strengthen bilateral relations," said the source.

Malawi foreign minister has since visited Cuba two times.

The minister first visited Cuba during the Non-Aligned Summit (September 2006), and in April last year, Banda led Malawi delegation to the Third Joint intergovernmental Commission, in which the two nations agreed to further boost ties in areas such as healthcare, education and sustainable development.

She said that getting to know Cuba allowed her to admire Commander in Chief Fidel Castro even more, and to appreciate his efforts to benefit his people.

Banda added that Malawi sees Cuba as an example of what a small country can accomplish and stressed the importance of relations within the Non-Aligned Movement -currently chaired by Cuba.

Malawi is tying up with Cuba, which pledged to help with specialists in the construction of Shire-Zambezi waterway, which if completed will connect Malawi with the Indian ocean.

"We have just begun the first contacts and we have already identified areas where we can work together. One of them is education, we hope to receive a great boost using the Cuban model for teaching literacy and in the training of teachers and doctors," said Malawi foreign affairs minister.

"Many people ignore the Cuban reality, and when they come here they are impressed by how Fidel has led this country out of difficulties and to the level where it currently stands. It is really extraordinary;" Banda was quoted by Prensa Latina.