Malawi: Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Patricia Nangozo Kainga has shared that the administration wants to improve tourism capacity of the nation. The Minster says that Malawi stands a better chance of increasing its tourism base through the Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCAs) summit.
Minister made these remarks at the end of the SADC TFCA Council of the Ministers meeting on Thursday. Kainga said, President Chakwera will be among heads of states to attend SADC meeting.
The summit will commemorate 25 years of TFCA fostering Regional Integration and Sustainable Development. “It is important for the State President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to be present at this very important meeting as Malawi is a senior member of the SADC and also it will enhance the bilateral cooperation and integration.
“The President will also hold several bilateral talks with fellow Heads of States to strengthen their cooperation and also the President will hold meeting with development partners who are already in here to have further talks on financing and other important issues that will benefit Malawi.”
Speaking earlier, Minister of Tourism Dr. Vera Kamtukule underscored the importance of tourism in Malawi saying the country has seen tremendous growth in the industry with more tourists coming.
Said Kamtukule: “This is one of the important meetings that Malawi as a country must attend.
As you know when we talk about wildlife, they cut across the borders, animals do not see any borders or any lines, it can move from Malawi to Zambia, or vice versa, so it is important for our country to attend this meeting.”
He added: “60 percent of the tourists that come to Malawi are from SADC region, so it is important that we come to this regional block meetings where we can discuss several issues concerning our country.
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola and Botswana are part of the Kavango Zambia (KAZA) Transfrontier arrangement. The agreement entails that a visitor can come from Spain into Zambia and pay $50. This visitor can then visit all the countries in KAZA.
President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera will be attending the summit in Harare on Friday along with several other SADC leaders.