By Brighton Tchongwe
The Board Chairperson of the Export Development Fund (EDF), Dr. Ted Nankhumwa, says singled out inadequate infrastructure as a major barrier to trade competitiveness and export growth, including for Malawi.
Speaking at the official opening of a three-day workshop on public-private partnerships (PPP) in Lilongwe, Nankhumwa said that the workshop offers a vital platform to build capacity, deepen knowledge, and share best practices that will shape the future of infrastructure development and financing in Malawi and the wider region.
He explained that infrastructure such as roads, energy systems, water supply, and ICT networks forms the backbone of economic transformation which is essential for businesses to thrive, products to reach markets, and for investors to have confidence in the regional economy.
“The training is timely as Malawi works to enhance regional integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Improved infrastructure is critical to reducing trade costs, opening new markets, and making Malawi a more attractive investment destination,” Nankhumwa said.
He added that EDF is committed to supporting these goals by offering financing solutions for trade-enabling infrastructure and industrial projects, strengthening partnerships, and fostering collaboration among all stakeholders involved in project preparation and financing.
In his remarks, the Southern African Development Community-Development Finance Resource Centre (SADC-DFRC) Chief Executive Officer, Zwelibanzi Sapula, said the workshop will equip participants with practical knowledge and tools to design, evaluate, and manage effective PPP projects.
Sapula noted that the course will explore best practices in policy-making, financing, and stakeholder engagement, enabling participants to apply these lessons to boost PPP initiatives in their institutions and countries.
“In the SADC region, a major challenge is the infrastructure and funding gap. To address this, we need to innovate financing approaches.
This training focuses on how to finance infrastructure innovatively and sustainably across the region,” he explained.
The workshop brought together officials from government, PPP unit staff, project managers, private sector investors, financiers, legal experts, and technical advisors.
