As earlier reported that President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has canceled his trip to India where he was expected to attend the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS lll) that is scheduled to take place from 26-29 2015 October, it has been revealed that the government is sending a 10 member delegation to the summit to be led by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. George Chaponda.
Minister of Information Tourism and Civic Education Jappie Mhango confirmed of the development in an interview with FaceofMalawi, saying the government is sending five Cabinet Ministers and each Minister will be accompanied by one official.
Mhango said the President has done this in a spirit of austerity.
According to Mhango, Dr. George Chaponda will be accompanied by Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe, Minister of Trade and Industry, Joseph Mwanamveka, Minister of Labour and Manpower Development, Henry Mussa and Minister of Agriculture, Water Development and Irrigation Dr. Allan Chiyembekeza.
Mhango assured Malawians that government will do everything in its capacity to make sure Malawi gets maximum benefits from the Summit that all citizens can enjoy.
“Malawi will at the Summit negotiate for another line of credit that will go towards improving the efficiency of water supply in the country, and also enhance the capacities of the Community Technical Colleges among other important issues.
“Malawi will also lobby for continued benefits from Rural Technological Park (RTP), in terms of enhancing rural access and connectivity, rural water supply and sanitation, development of rural enterprises and small scale industries and use of new and renewable energy technologies,” said Mhango.
Further still, Malawi will also confirm her desire to continue benefiting from duty free Tariff Preference Schedule offered to Least Development Countries and the country will under this arrangement be eligible to export to India 94 tariff lines duty free.
