The University of Bath is hailing an aid project in which 500 textbooks were given to students in Malawi.
The Department of Economics and International Development has been helping the University of Malawi for two years in an EU-sponsored scheme.
Bath's role in the scheme included training Malawian masters students and encouraging research links.
Saturday, 17 May 2008
Malawi opens doors wide to Chinese
Africa News writes, "The governments of Malawi and China have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which would now engage the private sector from the South Asian country to invest in the southern African country's various investment sectors including cotton and tobacco.
Malawi’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Private Sector Development Henry Mussa and China’s Deputy Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng signed the MOU on industry, trade and investment before a highly powered delegation of private sector members from the two countries.
The MOU allows the private sector in China to invest in the Warm Heart of Africa’s integrated cotton sector, tobacco, fertilizer and cement production, infrastructure, mining, tourism, professional services—banking and insurance among others
The signing of the MOU follows the Southern African country’s President Bingu wa Mutharika’s visit to China two months ago which led to Malawi’s offer of duty free status to some 440 products.
Mussa said Malawi is an agricultural country and currently relies on crops such as tobacco, tea and sugar for the bulk of its foreign exchange."
Malawi’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Private Sector Development Henry Mussa and China’s Deputy Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng signed the MOU on industry, trade and investment before a highly powered delegation of private sector members from the two countries.
The MOU allows the private sector in China to invest in the Warm Heart of Africa’s integrated cotton sector, tobacco, fertilizer and cement production, infrastructure, mining, tourism, professional services—banking and insurance among others
The signing of the MOU follows the Southern African country’s President Bingu wa Mutharika’s visit to China two months ago which led to Malawi’s offer of duty free status to some 440 products.
Mussa said Malawi is an agricultural country and currently relies on crops such as tobacco, tea and sugar for the bulk of its foreign exchange."
TRADE-MALAWI: Aid Will Not Be Conditional Upon Signing of EPAs
LILONGWE, May 16 (IPS) - The European Commission (EC) has assured Malawi that the country will continue receiving cooperation aid even if it does not sign an economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the European Union.
Malawi’s president Bingu wa Mutharika last month accused the European Union (EU) of ‘‘imperialism’’, saying it was punishing countries who resisted the EPAs by threatening to withhold aid from the European Development Fund.
Malawi is not one of the 18 African states that signed the interim EPAs which the EU was attempting to rush through last year. Mutharika said at a press conference last month that he will not allow Malawi to sign the EPA because it has the potential to be harmful to the country.
Heavy pressure against the EPA has emanated from different sectors. Ten of the country’s most influential non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have protested against the signing of the EPA because of the adverse effects that will be caused by sudden and extensive liberalisation.
In contrast, the EU’s head of delegation to Malawi, Alessandro Mariani, said last week that the EU believes that the EPAs would serve the interests of Malawi. He was speaking at the European Day commemoration celebrations on May 9 in the country’s capital Lilongwe.
Mariani also assured Malawi that the EU will go ahead to finance the country with up to 451 million euros, even if the country does not append its signature to the EPAs.
‘‘Please allow me to reconfirm that there is no link between access to grants allocated to Malawi under the European Development Fund and signing the EPAs,’’ said Mariani.
He was reiterating an EC press statement issued on April 18 that declared that aid from the European Development Fund (EDF) will not be tied to the EPAs.
‘‘This is valid for Malawi as well as for all the ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) countries which benefit of the development assistance provided through the EDF. (Trade) commissioner (Peter) Mandelson stated that the level of resources made available to ACP countries will remain as has been agreed,’’ said the statement.
The EC admitted that the programming of EDF regional resources will take into account EPA implementation needs but that ‘‘there has at no time been any attempt by the EU to reduce EDF resources for those ACP countries that do not to sign an EPA’’.
The statement further indicated that Malawi was among the very first group of ACP countries that signed the latest EDF arrangement at the EU-Africa summit in Lisbon in December last year, and that no link was ever made with accession to the EPA.
The statement further confirmed that ‘‘the overall objective of European co-operation aid is to assist developing countries in their fight against poverty and in the implementation of their own development strategy to achieve this objective.
‘‘Ownership of European assistance by the partner country is paramount and contributes to the achievement of the millennium development goals, and in particular the national development objectives of the partner country,’’ said the EC.
The EC also reminded Malawi that while it has decided not to initial the EPA, it benefits from the ‘‘Everything but Arms’’ (EBA) trade arrangement under the EU’s generalised system of preferences, like all the other least developed countries (LDCs) in the world.
The statement said that under the EBA all LDCs have duty and quota free market access to the EU market, subject to a transitional period for sugar and rice only. ‘‘Malawi sugar exports to the EU will continue to be able to enter the EU market duty free and will be quota free from 2009 onwards,’’ said the EC.
The statements went on to quote Mandelson that ‘‘it is the right of every country to determine whether an agreement is in its interest’’.
However, Mandelson stated that the EBA is not perfect as it is a unilateral regime offered by the EU while the EPA, as a negotiated agreement covered by World Trade Organisation rules, offers a level of legal security that the EBA does not.
Andrew Kumbatira, who heads up Malawi Economic Justice Network, the country’s most prominent NGO advocating for economic justice, still accuses the EU of failing to make a commitment to funding which will assist countries like Malawi to adapt to a liberalised regime.
‘‘All countries should be at par in the EPAs but the EU is already a great giant in this. We should trade as equals and the EU should help us to get to their level. There is need to resolve issues of supply side constraints and we need funding for us to deal with those but the EU is very silent about such issues,’’ Kumbatira told IPS.
Speaking during the European Day celebrations, Minister of Trade and Industry Ted Kalebe said Malawi was hoping that the ongoing discussions on EPAs will come to a meaningful conclusion by the end of this year. (END/2008)
Malawi’s president Bingu wa Mutharika last month accused the European Union (EU) of ‘‘imperialism’’, saying it was punishing countries who resisted the EPAs by threatening to withhold aid from the European Development Fund.
Malawi is not one of the 18 African states that signed the interim EPAs which the EU was attempting to rush through last year. Mutharika said at a press conference last month that he will not allow Malawi to sign the EPA because it has the potential to be harmful to the country.
Heavy pressure against the EPA has emanated from different sectors. Ten of the country’s most influential non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have protested against the signing of the EPA because of the adverse effects that will be caused by sudden and extensive liberalisation.
In contrast, the EU’s head of delegation to Malawi, Alessandro Mariani, said last week that the EU believes that the EPAs would serve the interests of Malawi. He was speaking at the European Day commemoration celebrations on May 9 in the country’s capital Lilongwe.
Mariani also assured Malawi that the EU will go ahead to finance the country with up to 451 million euros, even if the country does not append its signature to the EPAs.
‘‘Please allow me to reconfirm that there is no link between access to grants allocated to Malawi under the European Development Fund and signing the EPAs,’’ said Mariani.
He was reiterating an EC press statement issued on April 18 that declared that aid from the European Development Fund (EDF) will not be tied to the EPAs.
‘‘This is valid for Malawi as well as for all the ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) countries which benefit of the development assistance provided through the EDF. (Trade) commissioner (Peter) Mandelson stated that the level of resources made available to ACP countries will remain as has been agreed,’’ said the statement.
The EC admitted that the programming of EDF regional resources will take into account EPA implementation needs but that ‘‘there has at no time been any attempt by the EU to reduce EDF resources for those ACP countries that do not to sign an EPA’’.
The statement further indicated that Malawi was among the very first group of ACP countries that signed the latest EDF arrangement at the EU-Africa summit in Lisbon in December last year, and that no link was ever made with accession to the EPA.
The statement further confirmed that ‘‘the overall objective of European co-operation aid is to assist developing countries in their fight against poverty and in the implementation of their own development strategy to achieve this objective.
‘‘Ownership of European assistance by the partner country is paramount and contributes to the achievement of the millennium development goals, and in particular the national development objectives of the partner country,’’ said the EC.
The EC also reminded Malawi that while it has decided not to initial the EPA, it benefits from the ‘‘Everything but Arms’’ (EBA) trade arrangement under the EU’s generalised system of preferences, like all the other least developed countries (LDCs) in the world.
The statement said that under the EBA all LDCs have duty and quota free market access to the EU market, subject to a transitional period for sugar and rice only. ‘‘Malawi sugar exports to the EU will continue to be able to enter the EU market duty free and will be quota free from 2009 onwards,’’ said the EC.
The statements went on to quote Mandelson that ‘‘it is the right of every country to determine whether an agreement is in its interest’’.
However, Mandelson stated that the EBA is not perfect as it is a unilateral regime offered by the EU while the EPA, as a negotiated agreement covered by World Trade Organisation rules, offers a level of legal security that the EBA does not.
Andrew Kumbatira, who heads up Malawi Economic Justice Network, the country’s most prominent NGO advocating for economic justice, still accuses the EU of failing to make a commitment to funding which will assist countries like Malawi to adapt to a liberalised regime.
‘‘All countries should be at par in the EPAs but the EU is already a great giant in this. We should trade as equals and the EU should help us to get to their level. There is need to resolve issues of supply side constraints and we need funding for us to deal with those but the EU is very silent about such issues,’’ Kumbatira told IPS.
Speaking during the European Day celebrations, Minister of Trade and Industry Ted Kalebe said Malawi was hoping that the ongoing discussions on EPAs will come to a meaningful conclusion by the end of this year. (END/2008)
The governments of Malawi and China have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which would now engage the private sector from the South Asian country to invest in the southern African country's various investment sectors including cotton and tobacco.
Malawi’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Private Sector Development Henry Mussa and China’s Deputy Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng signed the MOU on industry, trade and investment before a highly powered delegation of private sector members from the two countries.
The MOU allows the private sector in China to invest in the Warm Heart of Africa’s integrated cotton sector, tobacco, fertilizer and cement production, infrastructure, mining, tourism, professional services—banking and insurance among others
The signing of the MOU follows the Southern African country’s President Bingu wa Mutharika’s visit to China two months ago which led to Malawi’s offer of duty free status to some 440 products.
Mussa said Malawi is an agricultural country and currently relies on crops such as tobacco, tea and sugar for the bulk of its foreign exchange.
“In this regard, it is our wish that these products find markets in your great country. Consequently, we will be requesting for an expansion of the list,” the Trade minister told Malawi’s premier daily of the Daily Times.
China has also provided Malawi 40 scholarships for short courses in various fields of economic management.
Hucheng said he was happy to lead the 43-high-powered private sector delegation to Malawi.
He said his country wants to deepen the newly found friendship between Malawi and China further especially in trade and investment portfolios for the benefit of the people of the two countries.
In another development Malawi suspended Parliament sitting on Thursday to allow for talks between government and opposition.
However its budget sitting will start on Monday and President Mutharika is expected to open the sitting.
Malawi’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Private Sector Development Henry Mussa and China’s Deputy Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng signed the MOU on industry, trade and investment before a highly powered delegation of private sector members from the two countries.
The MOU allows the private sector in China to invest in the Warm Heart of Africa’s integrated cotton sector, tobacco, fertilizer and cement production, infrastructure, mining, tourism, professional services—banking and insurance among others
The signing of the MOU follows the Southern African country’s President Bingu wa Mutharika’s visit to China two months ago which led to Malawi’s offer of duty free status to some 440 products.
Mussa said Malawi is an agricultural country and currently relies on crops such as tobacco, tea and sugar for the bulk of its foreign exchange.
“In this regard, it is our wish that these products find markets in your great country. Consequently, we will be requesting for an expansion of the list,” the Trade minister told Malawi’s premier daily of the Daily Times.
China has also provided Malawi 40 scholarships for short courses in various fields of economic management.
Hucheng said he was happy to lead the 43-high-powered private sector delegation to Malawi.
He said his country wants to deepen the newly found friendship between Malawi and China further especially in trade and investment portfolios for the benefit of the people of the two countries.
In another development Malawi suspended Parliament sitting on Thursday to allow for talks between government and opposition.
However its budget sitting will start on Monday and President Mutharika is expected to open the sitting.
Malawi opens doors wide to Chinese
The governments of Malawi and China have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which would now engage the private sector from the South Asian country to invest in the southern African country's various investment sectors including cotton and tobacco.
Malawi’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Private Sector Development Henry Mussa and China’s Deputy Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng signed the MOU on industry, trade and investment before a highly powered delegation of private sector members from the two countries.
The MOU allows the private sector in China to invest in the Warm Heart of Africa’s integrated cotton sector, tobacco, fertilizer and cement production, infrastructure, mining, tourism, professional services—banking and insurance among others
The signing of the MOU follows the Southern African country’s President Bingu wa Mutharika’s visit to China two months ago which led to Malawi’s offer of duty free status to some 440 products.
Mussa said Malawi is an agricultural country and currently relies on crops such as tobacco, tea and sugar for the bulk of its foreign exchange.
“In this regard, it is our wish that these products find markets in your great country. Consequently, we will be requesting for an expansion of the list,” the Trade minister told Malawi’s premier daily of the Daily Times.
China has also provided Malawi 40 scholarships for short courses in various fields of economic management.
Hucheng said he was happy to lead the 43-high-powered private sector delegation to Malawi.
He said his country wants to deepen the newly found friendship between Malawi and China further especially in trade and investment portfolios for the benefit of the people of the two countries.
In another development Malawi suspended Parliament sitting on Thursday to allow for talks between government and opposition.
However its budget sitting will start on Monday and President Mutharika is expected to open the sitting.
Malawi’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Private Sector Development Henry Mussa and China’s Deputy Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng signed the MOU on industry, trade and investment before a highly powered delegation of private sector members from the two countries.
The MOU allows the private sector in China to invest in the Warm Heart of Africa’s integrated cotton sector, tobacco, fertilizer and cement production, infrastructure, mining, tourism, professional services—banking and insurance among others
The signing of the MOU follows the Southern African country’s President Bingu wa Mutharika’s visit to China two months ago which led to Malawi’s offer of duty free status to some 440 products.
Mussa said Malawi is an agricultural country and currently relies on crops such as tobacco, tea and sugar for the bulk of its foreign exchange.
“In this regard, it is our wish that these products find markets in your great country. Consequently, we will be requesting for an expansion of the list,” the Trade minister told Malawi’s premier daily of the Daily Times.
China has also provided Malawi 40 scholarships for short courses in various fields of economic management.
Hucheng said he was happy to lead the 43-high-powered private sector delegation to Malawi.
He said his country wants to deepen the newly found friendship between Malawi and China further especially in trade and investment portfolios for the benefit of the people of the two countries.
In another development Malawi suspended Parliament sitting on Thursday to allow for talks between government and opposition.
However its budget sitting will start on Monday and President Mutharika is expected to open the sitting.
Malawi interested in Phiri's services
SOCCER – THE National Football Association (FA) must brace themselves for a stiff competition for the services of Zambian-born coach Patrick Phiri as it has emerged that Malawi are also considering engaging the respected coach as Technical Advisor for that country’s senior national team.
It was reported recently that the FA has approached the former Zambian national team mentor to take the coaching reigns at Sihlangu, currently being held by Swiss-born Raoul Savoy.
However, according to information sourced from the Kick-off website yesterday, Swaziland is not the only country eyeing the Zambian coach.
The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) is apparently considering engaging the services of Phiri on a temporary basis for the post of technical advisor ahead of the joint 2010 Afcon/World Cup qualifiers.
According to the Daily News in Malawi, FAM wanted to hire Phiri after they were fascinated with how Zambia put up a brave fight against the African champions Egypt during the Nations Cup in February.
“Some members feel that his overall experience is good for the Flames. Further to that Egypt struggled against Zambia. It was suggested that he should be hired on a temporary basis as we start the qualifiers to help our technical panel,” said the source.
During the Egypt-Zambia game, which ended 1-1, Egypt were pressurised throughout the match after the ‘Chipolopolo’ equalised through their captain Chris Katongo.
The development comes at a time when reports also indicate that FAM was also courting a Brazilian tactician for the same post. However, FAM chief executive officer Charles Nyirenda dismissed the reports.
Nyirenda said FAM would like to finish the recruitment of national coaches before embarking on that drive to hire a technical advisor.
“Meanwhile, there is a lot of discussions that are going on with sports council to come up with packages for the coaches.
"We can’t start discussions for the post of technical advisor until we sort the position of our national coaches,” he said.
Malawi will begin their World Cup preliminaries when they host Djibouti on May 31 before travelling to meet DR Congo a week later. The Flames will then host African champions Egypt on June 14.
Sihlangu face Togo in their opening qualifying match early next month and this newspaper reported yesterday that the FA is also locked in negotiations with Belgian coach Jan Van Winckel to convince him to return to the coaching seat.
Winckel left the coaching seat unceremoniously two years ago after falling out of favour with an influential Sihlangu official during the COSAFA Castle Cup in Botswana.
It was reported recently that the FA has approached the former Zambian national team mentor to take the coaching reigns at Sihlangu, currently being held by Swiss-born Raoul Savoy.
However, according to information sourced from the Kick-off website yesterday, Swaziland is not the only country eyeing the Zambian coach.
The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) is apparently considering engaging the services of Phiri on a temporary basis for the post of technical advisor ahead of the joint 2010 Afcon/World Cup qualifiers.
According to the Daily News in Malawi, FAM wanted to hire Phiri after they were fascinated with how Zambia put up a brave fight against the African champions Egypt during the Nations Cup in February.
“Some members feel that his overall experience is good for the Flames. Further to that Egypt struggled against Zambia. It was suggested that he should be hired on a temporary basis as we start the qualifiers to help our technical panel,” said the source.
During the Egypt-Zambia game, which ended 1-1, Egypt were pressurised throughout the match after the ‘Chipolopolo’ equalised through their captain Chris Katongo.
The development comes at a time when reports also indicate that FAM was also courting a Brazilian tactician for the same post. However, FAM chief executive officer Charles Nyirenda dismissed the reports.
Nyirenda said FAM would like to finish the recruitment of national coaches before embarking on that drive to hire a technical advisor.
“Meanwhile, there is a lot of discussions that are going on with sports council to come up with packages for the coaches.
"We can’t start discussions for the post of technical advisor until we sort the position of our national coaches,” he said.
Malawi will begin their World Cup preliminaries when they host Djibouti on May 31 before travelling to meet DR Congo a week later. The Flames will then host African champions Egypt on June 14.
Sihlangu face Togo in their opening qualifying match early next month and this newspaper reported yesterday that the FA is also locked in negotiations with Belgian coach Jan Van Winckel to convince him to return to the coaching seat.
Winckel left the coaching seat unceremoniously two years ago after falling out of favour with an influential Sihlangu official during the COSAFA Castle Cup in Botswana.
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