Acting District Commissioner for Karonga Frank Mkandawire says bilateral meetings between Malawi and Tanzania governments are crucial for the socio-economic development of the two nations.
Mkandawire said this during a day-long joint border meeting between the two governments held in Karonga District aimed at sharing notes on challenges that the two governments are facing in the areas of trade, health, immigration among others.
“Such meetings are crucial in enhancing the relationship between Malawi and Tanzania governments on many issues that affect both countries,” Mkandawire said.
Chairperson for Songwe Joint Border Committee (JBC) Robert Chisale said the meeting is addressing issues that affect operations of both Points of Entries (PoE) such as outbreak of diseases such as Covid 19, Ebola, red eye, cholera just to mention a few.
He added that the meeting analysed traffic congestion due to construction works of One Stop Border Post which is affecting flow of vehicles through the borders.
Chisale further said the meeting also focused on combating trafficking and smuggling of both persons and goods.
His counterpart, Chairperson for JBC Kasumulu in Tanzania, Leonard Mapunda, said the meeting sought to facilitate the movement of goods and people and overcome the challenges that the two countries are encountering in the course of operations at the two border posts.
The meeting brought together officials from departments of immigration, health, agriculture and other stakeholders from Malawi and Tanzania.
