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Minister of Industrialisation, Business, Trade and Tourism George Partridge has called for concerted efforts by key stakeholders as the new administration moves to fix the country’s ailing economy. Partridge made the remarks during the official opening of the 12th Annual General Meeting of the Indigenous Customs and Clearing and Forwarding Agents (Iccafa) in Mangochi over the weekend. He said the government is aware of the poor state of the economy, which is affecting the livelihoods of most Malawians across the country, and stressed the need to find solutions to these challenges. “We understand how a delay at the border can be the difference between profit and loss, how shortages of foreign currency can freeze production lines, how fuel scarcity can choke transportation and logistics and how cumbersome systems can weaken Malawi’s competitiveness in regional markets,” Partridge said. He added that no country should allow business and trade to slow down, because when businesses struggle many people lose their jobs, which ultimately affects the economy. Partridge said his ministry’s restructuring and renaming from Trade and Industry was not merely a change in name but a true reflection of the new economic vision and direction the country has taken. “That is how Malawi will create wealth, generate jobs and earn its rightful dignity in the global marketplace,” he said. In this regard, Partridge said Iccafa is a crucial partner in the national transformation agenda, as they act as a bridge between Malawi and the global trading system, including local exporters. In his remarks, Iccafa president Vusi Chirwa said his organisation felt honoured and energised by the commitment the government has shown to addressing the bottlenecks that hold back trade in the country. “The theme for this year, ‘The Role of Customs Brokers in Trade Facilitation’, defines Iccafa as an institute. Each one of us should ask ourselves whether we are indeed facilitating trade or standing on the other side as trade barriers,” Chirwa said. He then commended the Malawi Revenue Authority for supporting clearing and forwarding agents to maximise revenue collection.
