PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan affirmed Tanzania’s commitment to continue to be Malawi’s reliable, strategic and dependable partner.
In addition, Dr Samia made it clear that Tanzania will never be a stumbling block on Malawi’s path to prosperity, as both nations benefit from growth.
The Head of State made the remarks in Lilongwe, Malawi, on Thursday while delivering a speech at the 59th Malawi independence anniversary celebration at Bingu National Stadium.
“Tanzania is satisfied with the excellent level of relations that exist between our two countries. Our promise to Malawi is to ensure this relationship grows from scale to scale,” said Dr Samia.
She further said that since President Lazarus Chakwera’s visit to Tanzania in October 2020, a lot has been done; government-to-government relations have continued to blossom, as have relations between people.
Since prosperity comes from trade and wealth creation, Dr Samia said the two countries ought to work more closely in those areas.
“We need to address challenges that our business communities are facing; we need to do more to facilitate and ease the movement of our goods and services,” she said.
According to her, the issues were discussed in the Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) between the two countries last year; the discussions were friendly, the concerns were mutual and both sides agreed to work together to address the challenges.
“As leaders, we should continue to sustain the momentum and provide leadership. The good chemistry between us gives me confidence that no amount of challenge is insurmountable, no mountain will be too tall to climb, and no rock will be hard to break,” President Samia remarked.
She further commended President Chakwera for his leadership and swift action to restore normalcy after very intense tropical cyclone Freddy and also applauded the people of Malawi for their resilience and endurance.
“Tanzania wants to assure you, the people of Malawi that we will always stand by you and with you during times of need, just as we do during good times. Your joy will be ours as well as your sorrows,” she said.
Dr Samia said that as Tanzania and Malawi are relatives in blood and neighbours by accident of the history of colonisation, the countries share the same culture and eat the same fish called Mbasa. The people of Malawi and the Nyasa people in Tanzania are one and the same.
She asserted that there was much more to the struggle for liberation than political independence; in fact, it marked the beginning of economic liberation as well.
In addition, Dr Samia said it is worth commending Malawi for maintaining peace, unity, stability, and national cohesion for 59 years. Any nation needs these ideals to transform economically and socially, she said.
“To us in Tanzania, the independence of Malawi meant and continues to mean a lot. As neighbours, your independence completed ours, and your progress impacts our progress,” President Samia said.
Earlier, President Chakwera said they resolved to pursue shared prosperity despite their misfortunes, which is also the reason why they have invested heavily in creating an enabling environment for the prosperity that is coming tomorrow by rolling out the most ambitious road and rail construction project.
“The same is true of our heavy investment in energy to power the industrialisation we are prepared to create for tomorrow’s economy, including the full restoration of the power plant we lost last year
“The blackouts are gone, and we are proud of what we have achieved under terrible circumstances, but we know that with great friends and partners like Tanzania, we will accomplish even more,” President Chakwera said.
He added that it is therefore no small thing that when the last disaster hit them, Tanzania stood with them and showed kindness and solidarity as their friend and neighbour.
President Samia arrived in Malawi on Wednesday for a three-day state visit at the invitation of President Chakwera.
According to a public statement released by the Malawi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the three-day state visit will consolidate the already strong Malawi-Tanzania bilateral relations, which are based on historical ties, mutual interest in promoting the living standards of the people of the two countries and a common interest in regional and global cooperation.
