President Guebuza is accompanied by Interior Minister Antonio Mondlane, Energy Minister Salvador Namburete, Transport Minister Paulo Zucula, Trade and Industry Minister Armando Inroga and the Minister in the Presidency for Social Affairs Feliciano Gundana.
One of the highlights of the visit will be the signing of an accord allowing for electricity from the Cahora Bassa hydroelectric dam on the Zambezi River to be transmitted to Malawi. Three other memoranda will be signed covering security and immigration, the environment and youth and sport.
These agreements are a clear sign of the determination of Malawian President Joyce Banda to open a new page in relations between the two countries.
The visit will also include an economic forum featuring business figures from both countries, with Presidents Guebuza and Banda being guests of honour.
Relations between the two countries have not always been cordial.
In fact, except for during the presidency of Bakili Muluzi, relations between the two countries have almost always been difficult, especially during the era of Dr Kamuza Banda, and more recently the late President Bingu wa Mutharika.
Dr Kamuza Banda preferred to be on the side of the Portuguese colonial government whilst the Mozambican nationalists were struggling under the leadership of Frelimo to gain the country’s independence. He maintained this aversion to Frelimo after independence.
During the rule of President Bingu wa Mutharika the Malawian government refused to import electricity from Mozambique, preferring to rely on less efficient sources.
Mutharika claimed that Mozambican electricity was onerously expensive. However, experts argue that the electricity would have been cheaper than any other source.
Local papers have welcomed the Malawi-Mozambique power interconnection project, arguing that it will ease the frequent power cuts that hit the country.
Some papers have devoted extensive coverage to the subject. The “Daily Times” accused Bingu wa Mutharika of having taken a retrograde position, with the paper heralding today’s signing as being “unrivalled”.
Post published in: Africa News