Malawi, Zimbabwe presidents reaffirm commitment to bilateral ties

Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera and his Zimbabwean counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries, writes Esther Banda.

Lilongwe, Malawi-Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera and his Zimbabwean counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries, writes Esther Banda.

The two leaders made the remarks during a state banquet hosted by Chakwera at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Wednesday.

Chakwera said the visit by Mnangagwa was a celebration of the cordial and strong bonds of cooperation and friendship that exist between the two countries.

"It is good for us to grow our diplomatic relations and our cultural and economic exchanges, as we have been doing through these government-to-government visits and through the work we do together through the joint permanent commission of cooperation, which concluded its 11th session here in Lilongwe on Tuesday," Chakwera said.

Mnangagwa said his visit was to strengthen the excellent and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship between Malawi and Zimbabwe.

"It was through the determination of nationalists such as the founding president of the Republic of Malawi, the late Hastings Kamuzu Banda, that inspired a generation of freedom fighters in my country to take up arms and fight for freedom and independence," Mnangagwa said.

He went on to say that it is now time that the two countries fully exploit their potential for bilateral trade to stimulate economic activity and accelerate regional integration.

"The scope of our cooperation is broad, and I believe that we can reap more benefits with increased and focused interaction between our two countries at the senior official level," Mnangagwa said.

"Opportunities for collaboration in order to ensure food security and sovereignty while lifting many out of poverty into prosperity must be fully explored and utilised," he added.

The two leaders also discussed a number of other issues, including the need to strengthen cooperation in the areas of security, education, and health.