Government of Malawi

TALKING POINTS FOR HER EXCELLENCY DR. JOYCE BANDA,

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI DURING A

BILATERAL MEETING WITH HIS EXCELLENCY SHINZO ABE,

PRIMME MINISTER OF JAPAN

1ST JUNE, 2013

Your Excellency Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan

Honourable Ministers

Ladies and Gentlemen

Let me congratulate Your Excellency for the impressive

arrangements that you have put in place to have a successful

TICAD V. As the TICAD process celebrates its 20th Anniversary, I

am happy to be here and be part of the celebrations.

As Africa also celebrates her 50th Anniversary, I believe this

TICAD V will enhance our partnership and cooperation to greater

levels.

It is remarkable to note that the Government of Japan has

remained committed to its TICAD IV pledges despite the

challenges experienced during the Great East Japan Earthquake

of 2011.

Your Excellency

Our two countries have enjoyed cordial relations since 1964.

Malawi considers Japan to be a reliable friend and development

partner who continues to provide worthwhile assistance to Malawi

in various areas including infrastructure development, health,

agriculture, water and irrigation and capacity building.

Malawi is proud to have received the highest number of Japanese

Volunteers since the programme began in 1971 in Malawi (1,600).

This also signifies the special relations that exist between our two

countries. These relations have withstood the test of time and are

based on mutual respect of human rights, sovereignty and

cooperation for human development.  

Japanese volunteers have contributed significantly in the

developmental efforts of Malawi. They have worked in various

fields such as: Education, Health, Nutrition and HIV/Aids,

Agriculture and Community Development. Japan has also

assisted Malawi in the following development projects:

1. Construction of over 1,300 boreholes;

2. Construction of rural health centres;

3. Rural Elctrification Programme;

4. Establishment of irrigation projects including the Bwanje

Irrigation         Scheme;

5. Infrastructure development, including the construction of the

Blantyre Masauko Chipembere Highway and the construction of

the South Rukuru Bridge; and the rehabilitation and expansion of

community day secondary schools; and

6. Empowering communities through the one Village One Product

(OVOP) Program.

Your Excellency, as you are aware, I took office of the President

of Malawi in April, 2012 after the death of my predecessor, Prof

Bingu wa Mutharika. The economy was at the verge of collapsing.

The country’s development partners had withdrawn their support

and I had to make difficult decisions to bring back the economy on

track. We have now put in place an Economic Recovery

Programme which targets five priority sectors of agriculture,

mining, tourism, energy and infrastructure development.

I therefore wish to appeal to Your Excellency to assist Malawi  by

supporting the programs which my government has put in place in

order to restore our economy and bring it back on a sustainable

path.

Japan is technologically advanced and has developed unique

ways of improving and modernizing means of production in the

areas of farming, mining, energy and many more. It is in this vein

that I am requesting Your Excellency’s government to assist

Malawi in a number of projects, particularly, the Project for the

Extension of Tedzani Electricity Hydropower Station which my

government submitted last year. Malawi needs reliable energy in

order to create a conducive environment that will attract

investment. Currently, we are failing to produce enough energy to

satisfy local demand. in addition, there are several other projects

that we would like your government to take into consideration to

support and these include the construction of jetties along Lake

Malawi, rehabilitation of the Nacala Railway Line, Development of

the Sena Corridor and construction of the terminal buildings at

Kamuzu International Airport in our capital city Lilongwe.

Let me finally assure Your Excellency that Malawi is committed to

the TICAD Process and is also looking forward to working

together with Japan for the mutual benefit of our two countries.

I thank you.