By Rose Cross Mahorya

Mzuzu, October 16, Mana: Business persons and entities in the country have been encouraged to take advantage of digital trade platforms to benefit from global trade opportunities.

Speaking in Mzuzu during a one-day Digital Trade Protocol sensitization meeting for academia, business community and the media in Malawi on Monday, Director of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Patrick Machika said even though digital platforms are there, Malawians can only benefit if they are utilizing them.

“There is still underutilization gap on digital tools and platforms that Malawians can use for trade.

“Through these digital platforms, businesses people and entities can trade with others in and outside the country and boost their businesses,” noted Machika.

While acknowledging that using digital spaces for trade activities can be risky, Machika was quick to point out that government has enacted several policies aimed at protecting digital space users.

One of the participants, Specklah Newa of Speck Holdings in Mzuzu City, concurred with Machika that there is low utilization of digital spaces, a development she said was largely due information gap on utilization.

“Most people do not know how to use digital platforms to boost their businesses, as a result, utilization is mostly for personal use.

“At the same time, running digital platforms for businesses is expensive and it needs one to invest a reasonable amount,” said Newa.

The sensitization meeting which was organized by Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute (ESAMI) was aimed at orienting stakeholders on what African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) and its Digital Trade Protocol are all about and how Malawi can benefit.

According to Thokozani Ngwira, a Trade Law expert at ESAMI’s Trade Policy Training Center in Africa, Malawi stands to benefit a lot from utilizing the existence of AFCFTA which can easily help break international market barriers for business entities.

“Malawi is a small country with limited business opportunities hence the need for entities to take advantage of the policy and existence of digital trade platforms to break through into the international market,” said Ngwira.