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Moi calls for hard work
By
Gedion Munthali - 27-05-2002 |
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Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi has urged Malawians to work hard and create wealth to propel the country from poverty to prosperity.
Moi was speaking when he officially opened the 14th Malawi International Trade Fair at Chichiri show grounds in Blantyre Saturday.
He said although he was impressed with the local exhibitions, there was still a lot of work to be done.
“I have seen the products from where you derive your strength and where you are still weak. You must work hard to strengthen these weaknesses and move on. Malawi has a great potential which must be exploited and time is not on our side,” said Moi.
This year’s theme for the fair is “Industrialisation, the Key to sustainable development”
Moi described the fair as “a window for Malawian products to international markets and called on foreign investors to use the event as a forum to explore investment opportunities in Malawi.
According to Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Jimmy Koreia-Mpatsa, this year’s fair is taking place just eight months after the last event in September and has 190 exhibitors from 162 last year with 11 foreign participating countries from eight last year.
Moi said that eligibility of Malawi, Kenya and other countries into the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) initiative has expanded an existing market of 350 million people in Comesa, which must be used effectively.
The Kenyan leader promised to woo Kenyan investors to come to Malawi and commended efforts by the Malawi government to release some economic sectors into private hands.
Speaking at the same function, President Bakili Muluzi said Malawi will maintain its dual membership to both the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) and Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa), despite suggestions from some quarters that Malawi should pull out of one organisation.
“The whole question of Comesa, Ecowas (Economic Community for West African States) EAC (Eastern African Community) and Sadc is about integration to expand the market for our products. You can not trade without integration,” said Muluzi.
Taking his turn, Mpatsa urged Malawian entreprenuers to go on the offensive in the foreign markets and invest in foreign countries where there is potential for growth.
“Skilled Malawian traders should be as aggressive in selling Malawian products abroad as they are selling foreign goods here. And if our products face market access barriers abroad for whatever reason, local producers or relevant authorities must be informed,” said Mpatsa.
In response to the needs of different exhibitors, this year’s fair has been divided into two sections: exhibition and trading. Two new award categories have also been introduced.
“Manufacturers thought that the award categories were too restrictive as they consisted only of large and small, at the expense of intermediate actors. We have introduced a new category for “General Trading”,” said Mpatsa. |
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