Japanese Ambassador, Shuichiro Nishioka has on Wednesday exchanged grant notes with the Minister of Finance, Economic planning and development, Goodall Gondwe.
The notes approve and signify a grant from the Government of Japan to Malawi under the Japanese Grant Aid Scheme for the project of expansion of Kamuzu International Airport (KIA).
Speaking in Lilongwe during the signing ceremony, the Japanese Ambassador said the buildings at KIA need major rehabilitation maintenance to revitalize and expand the terminal building and install new equipment such as aircraft surveillance system.
“The operational space is usually congested as it cannot accommodate the current demand and certainly not the future.
“Concerned with these challenges and also in an effort to be more efficient and effective to improve the services at KIA, the government of Malawi made a request to the government of Japan to rehabilitate and expand the terminal building,” said Nishioka.
He added that his government is committed to support socio-economic development of Malawi and that is why Japan approved 3.7 billion Yen (about K17billion) to help maintain passenger terminal, procurement and installation of equipment such as x-ray scanners, metal detectors and aircraft surveillance.
He also said that the bilateral relationship that exist between Malawi and Japan compliments the grant of 47.9 Yen ( K225 Million about ) that was signed earlier in March this year for Tedzani Electricity Hydropower Station.
In his remarks, the Finance Minister said the bilateral relationship that Malawi has with Japan has helped the country make huge benefits.
He said the friendship that was established between the two countries has helped Malawi to develop with the support from Japanese government.
Gondwe further said Japan has been a silent donor to the country and since then, their assistance has been upgrading the infrastructure and economy of Malawi.
Commenting on same, Minister of Transport and Public Works, Francis Kasaila said the project will help KIA accommodate more aircraft capacity when it is completed.
“Malawi should be a safe landing place where people will have confidence getting on and off their flights without congestions that we are currently facing at the moment, “he said.
He also said that KIA will be able to scan luggages and other things before getting on the plane so that we reduce any dangers of carrying unnecessary items.
Meanwhile the project of extending and maintenance of KIA is expected to begin in 2016 and finish in 2018.mana
