BALAKA, Demeke Zualede, 28, fled drought, conflict and hunger in his homeland, Ethiopia, in 2008. He reached Mozambique but was deported and now lives in Dzaleka Refugee Camp in central Malawi. This is his story.
"There are so many problems in Ethiopia and I had to leave. I was a farmer and when drought hit my area for two years there was no food for everyone. The war in Somalia has affected us too - young men have to join the army to defend our country.
"I left Ethiopia with many other friends, seeking a better livelihood in other countries. We arrived in Kenya some days later, but even there life was not as good as we expected. We kept moving and arrived in Tanzania. There, too, things did not work out for us. The journey from Ethiopia to Malawi took us four months. Most of the trip was covered on foot, hence the long time to arrive in Malawi.
"When we arrived in Malawi we were put in a refugee camp. Most people think we are soldiers, and a danger to society, but some of us are just farmers. The authorities won't let us live in townships. They say we have to be in the camp, but life in the camp is not easy. The food is not enough. We receive a food ration of six kilograms every fortnight.
"In the refugee camp we face a number of problems. We need money, enough food, and all the essentials that one needs to lead a good life. We can't be offered any employment because our status is that of a refugee. We have to live in a camp until the time for repatriation comes.
"The other day we escaped and thought of going to Zimbabwe, where some of our colleagues are working. We heard that our colleagues there are doing fine. With no money, we have to walk long distances. When we crossed over to Mozambique we were arrested and brought back to Malawi.
"My dream to work in South Africa or Zimbabwe has been shattered, but I am not going to give up easily. If an opportunity avails itself I will jump on it and travel to South Africa. I cannot live in camp forever."
Monday, 7 September 2009
Malawi Tobacco Traded 23% Below Government-Set Price (Update1)
Sept. 7 (Bloomberg) -- The price of tobacco in Malawi, Africa’s largest producer of the burley variety, trade 23 percent below the government-mandated price of $2.15 last week, said Auction Holdings Ltd., which manages the country’s auction floors.
The leaf sold at an average $1.66 per kilogram (2.2 pounds) during the week ended Sept. 4, Auction Holdings said in a weekly sales report published in the Daily Times newspaper today. Since the market opened on March 16, tobacco has sold for an average of $1.72, it said.
Malawi earned $9.05 million during the week, selling 5.2 million kilograms of the leaf, Auction Holdings added. The southern African nation started setting minimum prices for the various grades of tobacco two years ago after it accused merchants of putting farmers out of business. Buyers denied they underpaid farmers.
Malawi relies on sales of the leaf for 60 percent of its export earnings. The county has earned $365 million from 197.9 million kilograms of tobacco sold since the market opened. The tobacco marketing season closes on Sept. 18, according to a statement from TCC published today in the Daily Times.
The leaf sold at an average $1.66 per kilogram (2.2 pounds) during the week ended Sept. 4, Auction Holdings said in a weekly sales report published in the Daily Times newspaper today. Since the market opened on March 16, tobacco has sold for an average of $1.72, it said.
Malawi earned $9.05 million during the week, selling 5.2 million kilograms of the leaf, Auction Holdings added. The southern African nation started setting minimum prices for the various grades of tobacco two years ago after it accused merchants of putting farmers out of business. Buyers denied they underpaid farmers.
Malawi relies on sales of the leaf for 60 percent of its export earnings. The county has earned $365 million from 197.9 million kilograms of tobacco sold since the market opened. The tobacco marketing season closes on Sept. 18, according to a statement from TCC published today in the Daily Times.
Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe establish cross-border trade regime
Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe have taken a step to intensify the existing cross-border trade by establishing a simplified trade regime (STR) under the auspices of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
So far, traders from the three countries have listed down products to be traded using this facility.
Malawi's assistant director of trade, Kenneth Nkankha, said STR has been developed to formalise cross-border trade.
“It will also allow traders from respective countries to benefit from COMESA's trade preferences,” he said.
Because of the agreement, traders from Malawi going to either of the two countries will no longer be required to possess an Inland Certificate of Origin from the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry in order to cross the borders with a consignment of up to US$500.
A list of some of the products that qualify under the STR include smoked fish, yoghurt, groundnuts, bananas, live sheep and goats.
Although nine years have passed since the Free Trade Area (FTA) was launched, small-scale cross-border traders are yet to benefit from the COMESA tariff preferences.
So far, traders from the three countries have listed down products to be traded using this facility.
Malawi's assistant director of trade, Kenneth Nkankha, said STR has been developed to formalise cross-border trade.
“It will also allow traders from respective countries to benefit from COMESA's trade preferences,” he said.
Because of the agreement, traders from Malawi going to either of the two countries will no longer be required to possess an Inland Certificate of Origin from the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry in order to cross the borders with a consignment of up to US$500.
A list of some of the products that qualify under the STR include smoked fish, yoghurt, groundnuts, bananas, live sheep and goats.
Although nine years have passed since the Free Trade Area (FTA) was launched, small-scale cross-border traders are yet to benefit from the COMESA tariff preferences.
SADC Salomão: GNU The Only Alternative
DRC – The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has called on political parties in Zimbabwe to respect and honour the South African brokered Global Political Agreement (GPA). This comes ahead of the 29th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Governments to be held in Kinshasa on Monday. Zimbabwe and the political situation in Madagascar will again dominate the discussions at the meeting. SADC leaders will also finalise who between Lesotho and Malawi will take-over from Libya as the chairperson of the African Union (AU). SADC is the guarantor of the GPA which was brokered by former President Thabo Mbeki. Concerns have already been raised over what appears to be the slow implementation of the agreement. Besides the establishment of a unity government, political parties are still bickering over other issues on the agreement such as the appointment of Reserve Bank Governor and the Attorney-General. Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister and leader of the Movement Democratic Change (MDC) Morgan Tsvangirai has accused President Robert Mugabe of delaying the full implementation of the GPA.
It now appears that SADC is running out of patience. SADC Executive Secretary Augusto Salomao says there is a need to urge political parties to move towards full implementation of the GPA saying there is no other alternative in Zimbabwe but to implement the agreement. On Monday, President Jacob Zuma is expected to present a progress report on Zimbabwe at the Summit. South Africa is expected to push for a special review on Zimbabwe. International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane also emphasised that there does not seem to be an alternative but to implement the GPA. She said there was also commitment from South Africa to have a special session aimed at specifically reviewing progress made in implementing the agreement. Meanwhile, South Africa’s one-year term at the helm of SADC is coming to an end and Zuma will hand-over the chairmanship of SADC to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila on Monday. However, according to Nkoana-Mashabane – South Africa will continue to play a special role in Zimbabwe.
It now appears that SADC is running out of patience. SADC Executive Secretary Augusto Salomao says there is a need to urge political parties to move towards full implementation of the GPA saying there is no other alternative in Zimbabwe but to implement the agreement. On Monday, President Jacob Zuma is expected to present a progress report on Zimbabwe at the Summit. South Africa is expected to push for a special review on Zimbabwe. International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane also emphasised that there does not seem to be an alternative but to implement the GPA. She said there was also commitment from South Africa to have a special session aimed at specifically reviewing progress made in implementing the agreement. Meanwhile, South Africa’s one-year term at the helm of SADC is coming to an end and Zuma will hand-over the chairmanship of SADC to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila on Monday. However, according to Nkoana-Mashabane – South Africa will continue to play a special role in Zimbabwe.
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