By Bishop Witmos

Mangochi, February 2, Mana: Malawi and Mozambique have agreed to strengthen their bilateral relationship up to the grassroots level.

The agreement was made on Friday during the joint technical meeting which attracted technocrats from departments of International Affairs, Defense, Police, as well as local government from both Malawi and Mozambique.

Speaking during the opening of the border re-affirmation and other trans-border issues meeting, which took place at Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi, Secretary for Foreign Affairs in Malawi, Benard Sande, said while the bilateral relationship between governments of Malawi and Mozambique is currently strong, that is not the case at the grassroots.

‘‘As you know the relationship between Malawi and Mozambique has greatly improved since His Excellency President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera ascended into office, that cordial relationship has trickled down throughout the high rank government in both countries.

“Unfortunately, on the grassroots, there is a problem. And our idea is that such a good bilateral relationship should go down to the grassroots so that people should interact freely and go about their livelihoods without any difficulties,’’ he said.  

The meeting in Nkopola follows incidences in Mangochi where it was recently reported that some farmers in Makanjira were prevented from farming on their land.

But Sande said the agreements between the two nations in 2018 resolved that livelihood as well as settlements in the area of border reaffirmation should not be disturbed by both nations until the exercise was completed.

‘‘The problem in Makanjira arose because of border reaffirmation which found some Malawians to be in the Mozambican territory. As a result, people in the area were in December last year prevented from accessing the land on the Mozambican side.

‘‘However, after the border reaffirmation exercise previously, there were some agreements that were agreed that livelihood, as well as settlements in the area of border reaffirmation area cannot be disturbed, until the whole exercise of the border reaffirmation is completed. Unfortunately, people in Makanjira who have been farming in what now is known to be the territory of Mozambique were being prevented,’’ said Sande.

In his remarks, Director of National Institute for Sea and Land Boundaries for Mozambique, Armando Chavana, said his government is ready to cooperate in resolving challenges that communities in Makanjira are facing concerning the boundary territory.

‘‘We are aware about the reports where some communities in Makanjira have concerns regarding farming issues between territories of the two nations, and we are here to sort out such problems,’’ he said.

Apart from the issue of border reaffirmation, the meeting also centered on the problems that Malawians face when they move on some Mozambican route, particularly the Tete and Nyasa provinces.

This was triggered recently by the incident that happened in Zobwe where a Malawian truck driver was assaulted, and this is just one among many problems that Malawians face when using Mozambican routes.

Added Chavana: “On the issue of truck drivers who face challenges on some of our routes, we will go back to sensitize the police of the Republic of Mozambique to act peacefully with their brothers from the side of Malawi.’’