Monday, March 1, 2021
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Editors Pick

China approves K855bn Malawi projects

by Suzgo Khunga
22/10/2015
in Editors Pick, National News
3 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

 

President Peter Mutharika on Wednesday announced a new round of cooperation with China amounting to $1.5 billion (about K855 billion) in various sectors, including increasing power generation capacity by 300 megawatts (MW) and construction of a modern Chileka International Airport within three years.

RelatedHeadlines

Duchess of Cornwall launches Commonwealth essay competition

Grace Ghambi: Passionate for others. An excellent student

Taxpayers reaping from Msonkho Online – MRA

Briefing journalists in Lilongwe, the President said the projects have been agreed upon following a meeting that the team led by Minister of Industry and Trade Joseph Mwanamvekha attended on the seven priority projects from October 10 to 12 in Beijing, China.

Mutharika confers with Mwanamvekha during the briefing as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation George Chaponda looks on
Mutharika confers with Mwanamvekha during the briefing as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation George Chaponda looks on

However, of the seven projects only three are grants totaling $58 million (K33 billion) for the construction of the Blantyre District Hospital and Cancer Centre in Blantyre. The Blantyre District Hospital is set to be built at Kameza on the site where the abandoned Muammar Gaddafi Hospital Project was. The project was supposed to be funded by the government of Libya over 10 years ago.

Said Mutharika: “This is a sign of strength of bilateral relations that exist between China and Malawi. The Chinese are our friends and there are no conditions at all attached to these projects. They are soft loans and grants.”

Malawi and China established diplomatic ties in 2007 following Lilongwe’s switch from Taipei in the Republic of China to Beijing.

Since then, China has contributed to construction of several infrastructure projects, among them Parliament Building and Bingu Stadium in Lilongwe, Karonga-Chitipa Road besides loans for the construction of Malawi University of Science and Technology (Must) in Thyolo and the five-star hotel in Lilongwe which became operational this year.

However, the first phase of cooperation attracted a lot of criticism because Chinese companies carrying out their projects imported most of the raw materials and human resources from their country.

Mutharika said the Chinese government had approved for immediate implementation three projects, namely the 300MW Kam’mwamba coal-fired power plant with a project cost of $667 million (about K387 billion).

He said: “The project will produce an additional 300MW of power and we can say goodbye to blackouts. It will take three years to complete and I appeal to the people of Neno to give the project all the support as it will also benefit the people there with jobs.”

The other projects are the E-Government (National Identity) project to lay fibre optic cables for increased Internet connectivity amounting to $50 million (about K29 billion) and the Chileka International Airport project to the tune of $285 million (about K165 billion).

“Before implementation commences, the Malawi government will redesign the project, conduct feasibility study and an Environmental Impact Assessment,” Mutharika said on Chileka International Airport.

The development follows the recent rejection by Parliament of a Loan Authorisation Bill to continue rehabilitating the old airport as some members of Parliament (MPs) felt the upgrades were not modern and in keeping with recent developments in the aviation sector.

Among the grants which China has made is $2 million (about K1.1 billion) for the procurement of police for the Malawi Police Service, construction of a technical teacher’s training college costing $5 million (about K2.8 billion) and construction of community technical colleges costing $6 million.

Under the grants, China will also support technical services for the Bingu National Stadium for $1 million (K570 million), construction of a new Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation building amounting to $3 million and procurement of office equipment and furniture for the Ministry of Industry and Trade amounting to $1 million.

However, China has pended for review road projects namely Tsangano-Neno-Mwanza Road, Mangochi-Makanjira Road and the upgrading of the Phombeya-Makanjira-Nkhotakota-Chatoloma 220 kv power line.

The projects would be financed by Exim Bank of China while most would be implemented by China Gezhouba Group Company Limited.

 

Tags: Joseph MwanamvekhaMuammar Gaddafi
Previous Post

Zambian delegation here to learn from Macra on Cirms

Next Post

Govt for fireproof markets

Related Posts

BATH, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 22: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall opens Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (RNHRD) and Brownsword Therapies Centre on October 22, 2019 in Bath, England. (Photo by Finnbarr Webster - WPA Pool / Getty Images)
Editors Pick

Duchess of Cornwall launches Commonwealth essay competition

February 28, 2021
grace ghambi | The Nation Online
EveryWoman

Grace Ghambi: Passionate for others. An excellent student

February 28, 2021
IMG 20210228 WA0001 | The Nation Online
National News

Taxpayers reaping from Msonkho Online – MRA

February 28, 2021
Next Post
MZUZU  market fire e1444981269575 | The Nation Online

Govt for fireproof markets

Opinions and Columns

People’s Tribunal

Burglary at the hill

February 28, 2021
Search Within

Perseverance landed, is alive and well

February 28, 2021
Emily Mkamanga

Tasting your own salt in politics

February 28, 2021
People’s Tribunal

When blood of citizens is on head of leaders

February 28, 2021

Trending Stories

  • chisale1 | The Nation Online

    Inside Chisale’s seized property

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Grace Chinga makes posthumous return

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • MIN coy on K18bn MZ youth centre

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • TUM insists strike continues

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Admarc secures K430bn to revamp operations

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2021 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.