By Suleman Chitera
President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has described the visit by Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister, Xavier Bettel, as a strong signal of the European nation’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations with Malawi.
Speaking at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Monday, where he held an audience with the visiting Deputy Prime Minister, Mutharika said the engagement reflected growing mutual interest in cooperation that can drive Malawi’s economic transformation.
During the meeting, Mutharika outlined his long-term vision for the country, emphasising the need to shift Malawi from a largely importing and consuming economy to one that produces and exports competitively.
He acknowledged that the country is currently grappling with immediate challenges, including food insecurity, fertilizer shortages, foreign exchange constraints and fuel supply issues, but noted that measures are being taken to address these problems while stabilising the economy.
“Our focus is on reducing inflation and lowering interest rates so that businesses can grow and the economy can recover,” Mutharika said.
He took the opportunity to invite Luxembourg investors to consider Malawi as a viable investment destination, citing peace, political stability, a hardworking and well-educated labour force, and investor-friendly policies as key advantages.
“I therefore invite you and Luxembourg investors to set up companies in Malawi. The country has a conducive environment for investment,” he said.
On the diplomatic front, Mutharika extended Malawi’s best wishes to Luxembourg in its bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. He also highlighted Malawi’s growing role in regional peace and security, noting that the country currently chairs the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation and is on course to join the African Union Peace and Security Council.
In his remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Bettel congratulated Mutharika on his electoral victory, describing the level of support he received as a rare demonstration of public trust.
Bettel said Luxembourg is keen to work closely with Malawi to help translate the President’s vision into tangible development outcomes, adding that his visit was aimed at exploring areas of cooperation that would benefit both countries.
The visit is expected to lay the groundwork for enhanced political, economic and development cooperation between Malawi and Luxembourg.
