Malawi ranks poorly in attracting foreign investments due to red tape

Using ten economic indicators, a 2009 World Bank Doing Business Report has ranked Malawi in position 134 out of 181 world economies when it comes to attracting foreign investments due to heavy bureaucracy, APA learnt here Wednesday.

World Bank Doing Business ranks countries on the overall ease of doing business based on the indicators of business regulation that record the time and costs it takes to meet government requirements in starting and operating a business, trading across borders, paying taxes, closing a business, dealing with construction permits, employing workers, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors and enforcing contracts.

“Malawi performed poorly in areas like the number of procedures to start a business and the cost of starting a business is extremely high in the country,” the report said, adding that while it took several procedures to open a business in Malawi, it takes one step to do the same in overseas countries like New Zealand and 13 in Swaziland.

In addition, it takes 39 days to start a business in Malawi compared to 18 in Zambia.

In Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), Botswana tops the region as leader in regulatory reforms to doing business, while Malawi is ranked number 9 out of 14 SADC member states.

Dutch agency ceases funding Malawi group

The Catholic Organisation for Relief and Development Aid (Cordaid), a Dutch funding agency, has decided to directly end its financial aid to a Malawian organisation called Women’s Voice due to mismanagement of its funds, APA learnt here Wednesday.

Cordiaid Manager Monique Lagro said on Wednesday in Lilongwe that the decision to cease relations with Cordaid was based on the findings of the special investigation audit which uncovered the anomalies.

“The findings of audit revealed irregularities that clearly point at mismanagement and malversation of funds by the organisation,” she said.

She added that Cordaid, through the Women’s Voice, funded projects in several districts of the country to enable women and girls to claim and defend their property and inheritance rights, while freeing them from gender-based violence as a means of mitigating the HIV/Aids impact.

“We hope that women and girls in these areas will continue to claim and defend their rights, and we ask them to connect with other professional organisations in order to accomplish this,” she advised.

Cordaid has been supporting Women’s Voice projects in 1999.

Malawi says to sell 49 pct of airline to Comair

has agreed to sell 49 percent of the national airline to South Africa's Comair (COMJ.J: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), Deputy Transport Minister Roy Commsy said on Wednesday.

"Comair wanted 80 percent but we have insisted that they get 49 percent and we believe that this is in the best interest of the nation," Commsy told Reuters.

Uganda Government News: Malawi MPs in Uganda to study Parliament

A fifteen man delegation from the national assembly of Malawi is in Uganda to study the role of Parliament in the budget process.

In a meeting with the Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Edward Ssekandi recently, the legislators hailed Uganda for its progress in Parliamentary democracy.

Hon. Mtafu the chairperson of the reforms committee in the Malawi legislature noted the need for financial autonomy for Parliaments to perform successfully.

He reiterated the need for Parliament to fully participate in the budget process and make decisions on resource allocation among the different sectors of government.

The team that comprised six members of Parliament noted that unlike Uganda, Malawi is yet to adjust its representation in Parliament to cater for the different interest groups.

The Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Edward Ssekandi reiterated the need for closer cooperation between Parliaments of both countries.

Air Malawi to be swallowed by BA branded Comair.

More airline consolidation and this time it looks like the National airline of the country which boasts the friendliest people in Africa (they are certainly the smiliest), Air Malawi, will disapear. Comair Limited, hte South african owned airline group which runs a BA branded regional carrier and low cost airline Kulula has apparently finalised negotiations with the Malawi Government to buy 49% of the equity of Air Malawi with options to increase this to a majority stake. We have very fond memories of visiting the Air Malawi offices in Blantyre during the time they last flew into London and the dynamic CEO, Wisdom Mchungula, who ran the airline then, is now back at the helm. In our opinion just the right man to take it through difficult times. Good Luck Wisdom, enjoy your 50th Birthday celebrations and if you can keep the Air Malawi spirit alive, we’ll support you in every way we can.

Mission to Malawi humbles messenger, enlightens flock

Standing under a single bulb illuminating a rustic pulpit in Nsanje, Malawi, David Carter could not see all of the audience members in the dark, but he said many in the congregation saw the light.

Carter, pastor of nondenominational Rock Falls Church on Valley Falls Road, recently made his first mission trip to the country in southern Africa, and he said the people and experience had a deep impact on him. He and son-in-law, John Chavis, spent three days conferencing and three nights crusading.

"It's done something for me," Carter said. "It's made me more loving and appreciative. We take so much for granted because we're so blessed."

Many of the attendees walked from miles away - some even came from Mozambique - to stand or sit on concrete pews because, Carter said, they were "hungry to hear the Gospel."

"You could see the gleam in their eye," Carter said. "Everybody walks, and they were walking several miles. I was so humbled by that."

Carter first started thinking about Malawi when he met Richard Lutwama when Lutwama visited South Carolina in February. Lutwama, CEO of Star Radio in Blantyre, Malawi, told Carter that August would be a good time because temperatures in that part of the Southern Hemisphere would be similar to spring in Spartanburg. Lutwama arranged for Carter to preach on a syndicated radio program and meet with Pastor Michael Jonas Jack in the extreme back-country town of Nsanje.

"It was an incredible time of ministry, and many lives were touched with the Gospel," Jack said in an e-mail. "We think that God sent Pastor Carter with a great purpose to visit my area."

Carter also had the opportunity to go on a safari at Liwonde Nation Park, where he saw hairy baboons and had a hair-raising experience as elephants began flapping their ears from less than 50 yards away. He said the safari guide recognized that the elephants were becoming aggressive and decided to turn the vehicle around. They, however, got stuck briefly.

"You are in their domain," Carter said. "I don't know if I'd want to see lions."

Carter also saw a man sharpen a pencil with his teeth, ate goat meat for the first time and heard a chicken cluck then go quiet after Carter ordered a menu item listed as "KFC" that required a 45-minute wait.

Aside from making the personal and spiritual connection with people from a different culture who mostly spoke a different language, Carter said he was most touched by the generosity of those with the least.

On the way to the safari site, a child approached their vehicle, and Carter said he gave the child what he had - a half-full plastic bottle of Coke. Rather than chugging the drink, Carter said the child gave half to a friend.

"I didn't see kids fussing and fighting," Carter said. "They are so thankful because they don't have anything."

Carter and his wife, Sherry, have three children and nine grandchildren. He said he feels a calling to return to Malawi next year to continue missionary work much the same way that he felt a calling to become a pastor 33 years ago.

Though he'll have a year under his belt, he might not be able to tame those elephants or other creatures.