LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The ministry of trade, industry and tourism has partnered with two continental bodies African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)in hosting this year’s Malawi Investment Forum (MIF) which is slated for June 11-12 at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in the capital Lilongwe.
The partnership aims at endeavoring to accelerate the regional integration agenda through investment and trade.
Malawi Trade Minister Henry Mussa told the news conference on Wednesday that the two institutions will run a parallel conference at Sunbird capital hotel during the same period focusing on private sector and involvement in regional integration.
The Minister disclosed that delegates from 29 countries are participating in 2018 MIF including Netherlands, India, Egypt, United Kingdom (UK), USA, South Africa, China, Zambia, France, Kenya, Germany, Zimbabwe and among others.
“Let me assure the public that, we are expecting very high profile people to attend the forum. Again, with our partnership with AU and UNECA, we are very hopeful that will have a good high profile people at this year’s event.
“We are targeting a total of 80 exhibitors; 70 local and 10 foreign. So, far we have registered about five international exhibitors and over 40 local ones,” says Mussa.
The African Union Regional Delegate to Southern Africa (AU-SARO), SADC & COMESA, Dr. Leopold-Auguste Ngomo says will use the platform to popularize the African Continental Free Trade
Area (AfCFTA).
Not only that but also it’s supporting protocols including the Single African Air Transport
Market and Free Movement of Persons among others, which aim at harmonized and
standardized all trade policies across the continent.
“AU-SARO would like to use this conference to lobby for the signing and ratification
the three financial protocols that the heads of States adopted to support private
sector and financial market development, rapid industrialization of Africa, and help
Africa move to the top of global value chains to facilitate regional integration,”says Dr.Ngomo
Under the theme: “The Private Sector and Regional Integration in Southern Africa: Accelerating Opportunities for Investment and Growth”, the forum is being Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) comes after failed to take place in 2017, targets on creating financing and trade linkages.
MITC’s Chief Executive Clement Kumbemba disclosed that about 24 packaged projects are ready to be marketed during the third MIF
Kumbemba added that the MIF will focus on five sectors, namely: Agriculture & Agro-processing; Energy; Transport & Infrastructure; Tourism and Manufacturing.
Kumbemba disclosed that there will be a side event of a financier’s forum at this year’s investment forum.
“The MIF 2018 will focus much on investment projects in the five sectors which we are promoting. These projects we are soliciting from both the public and private sector. And it is our plea to all those who have bankable projects to work with us in packaging them for the investment forum,” Kumbemba explained.
This Financiers Forum is a platform for project promoters to interact with potential financiers for their various projects.
MIF 2018 is targeting 1000 participants from both Malawi and beyond.
The forum offers a truly knowledge-based forum with cutting edge information on the latest investment and trade opportunities in Malawi.
It serves as a unique platform to meet, network, and exchange experiences, explore business opportunities and sign cooperation agreements and partnerships.
Included in its 3rd Edition are the following features: Conference, International Exhibition, Sector-specific sessions, investment projects presentations and B2B meetings.
