By Suleman Chitera
Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation Joseph Mwanamvekha has commended the Government of Japan for its continued development assistance to Malawi, particularly in the health sector, road infrastructure and institutional capacity building.
Mwanamvekha made the remarks on Wednesday at Capital Hill in Lilongwe during a high-level meeting with a Japanese Government delegation aimed at reinforcing bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The delegation was led by Takao Imafuku, Japan’s Director-General for Africa, and included the Japanese Ambassador to Malawi, Naito Yasushi. The engagement focused on consolidating economic and development partnerships, with emphasis on trade, investment and strategic infrastructure projects.
Mwanamvekha said Japan remains one of Malawi’s key development partners, highlighting its longstanding contributions to public health systems strengthening, transport infrastructure rehabilitation and technical skills development.
“Malawi values Japan’s consistent and targeted support, which has significantly contributed to our socio-economic development agenda,” he said.
During the meeting, the Japanese delegation reaffirmed Tokyo’s commitment to expanding cooperation frameworks with Malawi, particularly in sectors aligned to economic transformation and regional integration.
Japan has pledged support towards several flagship projects considered critical to Malawi’s growth trajectory. These include the Nacala Development Corridor, which is central to regional trade facilitation; the upgrading and modernization of Kamuzu International Airport and Chileka International Airport infrastructure, including Bakili Muluzi Airport; and the rehabilitation of the Kameza–Chileka Road in Blantyre.
The Nacala Corridor is viewed as a strategic transport and logistics artery connecting Malawi to the Port of Nacala in Mozambique, enhancing export competitiveness and reducing trade costs.
Both parties underscored the importance of sustained dialogue and technical collaboration to ensure timely implementation of the pledged projects.
The meeting signals renewed momentum in Malawi–Japan relations, anchored on infrastructure development, private sector growth and capacity enhancement as drivers of long-term economic resilience.
