By Petro Mkandawire

Blantyre, February 22, Mana: Mozambique SEPROF consultant, Domingos Diongo, has expressed satisfaction over the Last Mile Infrastructure Project, following his one-week tour in Malawi to appreciate progress of the project.

Diongo said on Thursday in Blantyre at a meeting that he saw value in the Last Mile Infrastructure Project in Malawi, observing that the project has potential to increase regional trade coordination, reduce trade costs and time and develope regional value chains.

Last Mile Infrastructure Project is a sub-project implemented in Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique under Southern Africa Trade and Connectivity Project (SATCP) with a US$150 million World Bank funding, running from July 2021 to June 2027.

 “There is a need to align the project in Mozambique and Malawi to avoid duplication of efforts, to simplify trade and connectivity among countries and to increase private sector activities along targeted corridors of Malawi and Mozambique,” the consultant said.

Diongo added that the two countries have social and historical links, and he expressed hope that SATCP was there to improve the links for common development benefits.

Some of the places and institutions the Mozambique team visited included Ministry of Agriculture, Dedza border, Wakawaka and Mitundi markets, and Public Private Partnership Commission offices.

In Malawi, Last Mile Infrastructure Project is being carried out in 10 sites out of the 41 identified within border post areas of central and southern regions.

The project also includes construction of bridges, markets, storage facilities and roads, such as the 47-kilometer road from Matawale in Zomba to Liwonde.

SATCP communications specialist Joab Chakhaza said Malawi was ahead of Mozambique in the project implementation and that Last Mile Infrastructure Project was coming in to help in building regional infrastructure connectivity, promoting trade and market integration activities.

“There are a lot of things that are mirroring each other; as such, the way we are doing things in Malawi should also be the way Mozambique is doing. Communication and interaction within the countries should be enhanced to amplify trade and connectivity, which will improve development and economic industries,” he added.

Chakhaza further said the project also aims at reducing trade costs, strengthening regional coordination and project implementation, strengthening value chains for regional integration and strengthening transport infrastructure to improve market access.

“Through connectivity, Malawi will be able to find the right mechanism of coordination and will see how Malawi and Mozambique handle SATCP activities, which in turn will help the country to move faster in different aspects” said Chakhaza.