CII Communique - December, 2010

Africa
Business Interaction with President of Malawi
Sachin Pilot, Minister of State for IT and Communications,
India; Ngwazi Prof. Bingu wa Mutharika, President of the Republic
of Malawi and Sanjay Kirloskar, Chairman, CII Africa Committee &
CMD, Kirloskar Brothers Ltd
President Ngwazi Prof. Bingu wa Mutharika, visited India
on a six-day state visit from 2-7 November accompanied
by six cabinet ministers and a 45 member business
delegation from Malawi. President Mutharika addressed
a business interactive session on ‘India and Malawi:
Partners for Progress’ jointly organized by CII, FICCI
and ASSOCHAM.
President Mutharika said
that India and Malawi
would exceed the two-way
trade target of $300 million
within three years, from
the present $185 million.
He said that there was
huge potential to increase
trade in pharmaceuticals,
agro-based products,
t o u r i s m , m i n i n g ,
energy, infrastructure,
transportation, and machine tools. Malawi is rich in
uranium, minerals, water, and arable land which India
business could exploit, he stated. He also informed that
his Government’s Green Belt initiative, which would bring
one million hectares of land under cultivation, would
result in increased demand for tractors, irrigation pumps,
trucks, factories for cotton processing etc.
Mr Sachin Pilot, Minister of State for IT & Communications,
India, in his address announced that the Indian mission
in the Malawian capital Lilongwe, which was closed
in 1993, would be reopened to further strengthen
economic cooperation especially in agriculture, mineral
resources and infrastructure.
Ms Eunice Kazembe, Malawian Trade and Industry
Minister said Malawi and India were negotiating an
Investment and Protection Agreement for investors to
explore business opportunities in Malawi and expressed
hope to see more Joint Ventures between the two
countries.
Mr. Sanjay Kirloskar, Chairman, CII Africa Committee
and Chairman and Managing Director, Kirloskar Brothers
Ltd., who chaired the interactive session, said that
there was need for strategic partnerships between both
countries with appropriate, affordable and adaptable
technology.
Regional Economic Communities of Africa
Zouheir Merchaoui, Minister Plenipotentiary, Director, The Cabinet & Political Affairs, UMA; Gurjit Singh,
Joint Secretary (E&S Africa), Ministry of External Affairs, India; Sindiso Ngwenya, Secretary General,
COMESA; Emile Mushobekwa, Dy Executive Secretary (Finance & Administration), SADC;
Amb Juma Mwapachu, Secretary General, EAC; K K Kapila, Member CII Africa Committee & CMD,
Intercontinental Consultants & Technocrats Pvt. Ltd.; Amb. James Victor Gbeho, President of the
Commission, ECOWAS; Amb Salim Shuweidi, Advisor in-charge of Political Affairs, CENSAD;
and Rajinder Bhagat, Joint Secretary, West Africa, Ministry of External Affairs, India
With Regional Economic Communities developing as
one strong economic community under the African
Union and the REC being most active in trade and
market integration, it is important for Indian Industry to
60 | December 2010 Communiqué