MCCCI for value addition

The Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) has reiterated the need for increased productivity and enhanced value addition on local products if Malawi is to become competitive on the regional market.

This comes as global economies are gradually reopening for trade as Covid cases ease.

For instance, the United Kingdom (UK) government announced recently to have removed Malawi and other countries from the ‘Red List’ which hindered Malawians from freely travelling to and from the country.

The UK Red List is a collection of countries from which travel to the UK is currently advised against as they are considered as a Covid risk.

In an interview Monday, MCCCI President James Chimwaza rated the move as ideal for a pickup in business activities.

“We need to be looking at being a production and exporting nation because these open borders actually translate into pressure on the limited resources and forex we have. We still need an aggressive mind-set change that we look at the opportunities of what we have, in order to value-add and use it to import substitute or export,” Chimwaza said.

Malawi Tourism Council Executive Director Richard Mdyetseni said opening of the borders would also help propel growth of the tourism sector.

Travellers from countries on the Red List going into UK were required to quarantine in government-provided hotels at £2,285 (about K2.5 million) per head, which covers food, accommodation, transport and testing.

SOURCE: THE TIMES