President Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi has urged China to support the expansion of his country’s road and railway network to neighboring countries, in line with the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). He made this request during a high-level BRI forum in Beijing, China, following the opening of the 2024 Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (Focac).

In his address, President Chakwera praised the BRI as a noble effort to transition nations in the global south from poverty to prosperity. He noted that China’s President Xi Jinping had unveiled a $51 billion financial package to support development initiatives in Africa over the next three years, including credit lines, grants, and funding for Chinese companies to invest in Africa.

President Chakwera proposed an extension of the Chinese-funded Tanzania-Zambia Railway (Tazara) to be connected to the Nacala Corridor through Malawi. He also announced that the Malawi Government is currently rehabilitating the Beira railway line and has already started the rehabilitation of 72 kilometers of rail from the Mozambique border using local resources. The plan is to rehabilitate the entire 201-kilometer rail from Marka to Limbe, making it operational again up to Beira port in Mozambique.

Additionally, President Chakwera said that Malawi plans to upgrade the 272-kilometer Rumphi-Nyika-Chitipa Road to enhance connectivity to neighboring Zambia, which will improve regional trade. He emphasized that with the ratification and adoption of the African Continental Free Trade Area, China is Africa’s best partner for creating the road and rail infrastructure necessary for connecting nations in Africa.

President Chakwera also invited China to decentralize its approach to support regional infrastructure developments in both the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) and the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), where Malawi belongs. He noted that China is the world’s leader in infrastructure development and has successfully executed numerous major transport infrastructure projects.

In his keynote address at the opening of the summit, President Xi Jinping announced a major decision to provide zero-tariff treatment to 33 countries in Africa, including Malawi, as a way of opening its market. This move will help turn China’s big market into Africa’s big opportunity. China will also expand market access for African agricultural products and deepen cooperation with Africa in e-commerce and other areas.

The opening of the summit was attended by at least 50 leaders from Africa, as well as the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Presidential press secretary Anthony Kasunda confirmed that Malawi is among the unnamed 33 countries that will benefit from this arrangement, which was mentioned by President Xi during his meeting with President Chakwera.